Gingivitis and Chronic Periodontitis

Another bacterium that contributes to commensal biofilms is Eikenella corrodens, a gram negative, small rod (Fig. 13.2c). E. corrodens grows in a healthy oral cavity by reducing nitrate in saliva to nitrite (Sects. 1.3.2 and 12.1.3). It is an important contributor to bite wound infections and is also the major known producer of lysine decarboxylase, which converts lysine to cadaverine and carbon dioxide (Fig. 13.4). Lysine is a nutritionally essential amino acid, whereas cadaverine is not. In humans, E. corrodens and lysine 

The next generation of drugs to supplement oral hygiene may interfere more specifically with one of four actions (a) initial stages of bacterial attachment to teeth surfaces (b) coaggregation of successor bacteria into a biofilm (c) quorum sensing and (d) lysine 

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