Preclinical Paediatrics · MU Sofia

33. Oral ecology - factors of oral bacterial homeostasis.

Explains how the mouth's bacterial population stays in balance, covering how oral microflora are acquired from birth and where they colonise, such as supragingival and subgingival plaque, the tongue and mucosal surfaces. It lists key streptococci, lactobacilli, Gram-positive and Gram-negative species, and defines terms like commensal, parasite, opportunistic pathogen, symbiosis and the classes of oxygen tolerance. It then describes colonisation mechanisms (adhesion, adsorption, coaggregation) and factors affecting growth such as temperature, pH, redox potential, nutrients and host factors.

Inside: 5 sections · 16 flashcards · 5 min

Topic 33 of 40 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Preclinical Paediatrics (Dental Medicine, Year 3). The free AceMed note covers it in 5 sections, about 674 words (5 min of reading), with 16 flashcards.

In this note

  1. ORAL ECOLOGY- FACTORS OF ORAL BACTERIAL HOMEOSTASIS
  2. ORAL BACTERIAL HOMEOSTASIS
  3. IMPORTANT ORAL BACTERIA
  4. CRITERIA FOR COLONIZATION
  5. FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH OF MOs IN ORAL CAVITY

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

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