Dental plaque formation

Hatta, H., Tsuda, K., Ozeki, M., Kim, M., Yamamoto, T., Otake, S., Hirasawa, M., Katz, J., Childers, N.K., and Michalek, S.M. 1997. Passive immunization against dental plaque formation in humans effect of a mouth rinse containing egg yolk antibodies (IgY) specific to Streptococcus mutans. Caries Res. 31, 268-274. 

Tinanoff, N. Hock, J. Camosci, D. Hellden, L. Effect of stannous fluoride mouthrinse on dental plaque formation. J. Clin. Periodontol. 1980, 7 (3), 232-241. 

Rosan B, Lamont RJ Dental plaque formation. Microb Infect 2000 2 1599-1607. 

Sanguinarine is currently used in the United States in dental preparations (mouth washes, toothpastes), where there is some evidence that the products containing this alkaloid prevent dental plaque formation. 

Yamaguti-Sasaki, E., L. A. Ito, V. C. D. Canteli, T. M. A. Ushirobira, T. Ueda-Nakamura, B. P. Dias Filho, C. V. Nakamura, and J. C. P. De Mello. 2007. Antioxidant capacity and in vitro prevention of dental plaque formation by extracts and condensed tannins of Paullinia cupana. Molecules 12(8) 1950-1963. 

It has been suggested that there is a lipoteichoic acid complex formed with glu-can that is involved in the pathogenicity of sucrose-produced dental plaque formation by S. mutans [205]. This is possibly the result of the involvement of teichoic acids in the extracellular secretion of glucansucrases. 

Triclosan is retained in dental plaque for at least 8 hours, which in addition to its broad antibacterial property could make it suitable for use as an antiplaque agent in oral care preparations. However, the compound is rapidly released from oral tissues, resulting in relatively poor antiplaque properties as assessed in clinical studies of plaque formation. This observation is further corroborated by a poor correlation between minimal inhibitory concentration values generated in vitro and clinical plaque inhibitory properties of triclosan. Improvement of substantivity was accomplished by incorporation of triclosan in a polyvinyl methyl ether maleic acid copolymer (PVM/MA, Gantrez). With the combination of PVM/MA copolymer and triclosan, the substantivity of the triclosan was increased to 12 hours in the oral cavity. 

The presence of S. mutans and other cariogenic bacteria contributes towards the formation of a biofilm known as dental plaque, and their metabolism of fermentable carbohydrates in the diet leads to the formation of acids [12]. Dental caries has been described as a complex imbalance in physiologic equilibrium between tooth mineral and biofilm [13]. Biofilms imply the involvement of microbiological species [14], but the key concept included within this definition is that the bacteria involved are native to the body, not a group of specific invasive bacteria causing infection [14]. 

Application of sialidase inhibitors for medical use is still in a premature state. It is imaginable that inhibitors would be useful drugs in infections, caused by micro-organisms, that lead to extensive production of sialidase, for example, in gas edema.371 In the oral cavity, plaque formation and dental caries may be influenced by desialylation of salivary glycoconjugates,399 and bacterial sialidases may play a role therein. This process may be retarded by secretion of the inhibitor Neu2en5Ac in saliva at concentrations which, in some cases, were found to be close to the K value for sialidases.34... 

Xylitol is as sweet as sucrose and has been used as a food additive. Because it does not induce formation of dental plaque, it is used as a replacement for sucrose in chewing gum. It appeared to be an ideal sugar substitute for diabetics. However, despite the fact that it is already naturally present in the body, ingestion of large amounts of xylitol causes bladder tumors as well as oxalate stones in rats and mice. Its use has, therefore, been largely discontinued. A possible source of the problem may lie in the conversion by fructokinase of some of the xylitol to D-xylulose 1 -P, which can be cleaved by the xylulose 1-P aldolase to dihydroxy acetone P and glycolaldehyde. 

Pigments, such as anthocyanins and tannins, may protect against viruses and inhibit the formation of dental plaque. 

Moderate consumption of red wine may decrease the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. The pigments found in grapes, such as anthocyanins and tannins, may protect against viruses and inhibit the formation of dental plaque. 

Similarly, supersaturation of saliva with respect to calcium phosphate salts is the driving force of calculus (i.e., mineralized dental plaque) and sialolith (i.e., salivary duct stones ) formation. In these cases, negatively charged phospholipids play a crucial role Ca + ions bind to the negative charges of such lipids, and inorganic phosphate associates with the bound calcium that forms a Ca-phosphate-phospholipid complex, which is an excellent nucleus of calcium-phosphate deposition. Salivary proteins may also play a role in this process because such complex formation occurs predominantly on lipids that are protein associated. The increase of pH facilitates these processes (13). 

Dental caries is a common chronic disease in which contact between teeth, food, and bacteria is involved. The major bacteria involved are believed to be Streptococcus mutans and S. sobrinus, although several Other types of bacteria are involved. Three stages have been outlined in caries adherence of bacteria to the teeth, formation of glycocalyx due to synthesis of a sticky glucan by the action of the bacterial enzyme glucosyl transferase on sucrose, and accumulation of plaque, which is a biofilm. In the dental plaque, there is continuing acid production by the bacteria, which are able to metabolize carbohydrates in acid medium, and the acid demineralizes the enamel of the teeth. 

Englander HR, Carter WMJ, Fosdick LS The formation of lactic acid in dental plaques - III. Caries-immune individuals. J Dent Res 1956 35 792-799. 

Berthold P Formation of salivary coating and dental plaque on two different supporting materials. An electron microscopic study. J Periodontal 1979 50 397-405. 

Saxton CA Scanning electron microscope study of the formation of dental plaque. Caries Res 1973 7 102-119. 

Listgarten MA Formation of dental plaque and other oral biofilms, in Newman HN, Wilson M (eds) Dental Plaque Revisited — Oral Biofilms in Health and Disease. Cardiff Bioline, 1999 187-210. 

Leach SA, Appleton J Ultrastructural investigations by energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis of some of the elements involved in the formation of dental plaque and pellicle, in Tooth Surface Interactions and Preventative Dentistry, London, IRL Press Ltd, 1981, pp 65-79. 

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