ORAL BACTERIAL HOMEOSTASIS
- Oral bacterial homeostasis is the microbial balance within the oral cavity
- Oral microflora is acquired from birth, as newborns have none, and can be resident or transient
- Oral microflora obtained from various sources including saliva, food, H₂O and from mother
- For 1st period of life, Streptococcus salivarius is dominant
- Oral MO colonised areas are called Niches and include supragingival plaque. Subgingival plaque and tongue coating
- Mucosa surfaes (gingiva, palate, cheeks and floor) may contain S.oralis, S.sanguis, Neisseria, Haemophyllus and Veillonella spp.
- MOs present on tongue include S.salivarius, S.mitis, Veilonella spp., Peptostreptococcus and Gram (+ve) and Gram (-ve) rods
- Oral flora can cause various diseases including abscesses, dental caries, gingivitis and periodontal diseases
COMMENSAL= organism living in or an organism of another species w/o injuring the host
Parasite= organism living in or on & at the expense of another organism (host); equivalent to a pathogen
OPPORTUNISTIC PATHOGEN= commensal organism that causes disease in certain circumstances
Symbiosis= mutually beneficial association between 2 organisms
AEROBICC ORGANISMS= requiring oxygen for growth and replication
Anaerobe= Organism that grows and replicates in absence of oxygen; not necessarily killed by oxygen
STRICT ANAEROBE= anaerobe killed by oxygen
Facultative anaerobe= organism capable of growth and replication in the presence or absence of oxygen