Advances in Dental Research, Vol 8, 285-290, Copyright © 1994 by International & American Associations for Dental Research

ARTICLES

Control of specific plaque bacteria

R. R. Russell
Department of Oral Biology, Dental School, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

The Specific Plaque Hypothesis posits that particular bacteria are of unique importance in the etiology of dental caries and periodontal diseases, and a logical conclusion is that these bacteria should be the targets for our 'magic bullets' in devising plaque-control methods. This paper considers the development of preventive measures based on understanding of the significance of particular bacterial species and the properties of those bacteria. Knowledge of the importance of specific organisms as mediators of disease and molecular studies on the properties of potential virulence factors may reveal potential targets for inhibition, blocking by synthetic analogues, or functional inactivation by antibodies.

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