Module 1: Microbiology of Dental Plaque

Question 1

For oral microbes that are associated with health to survive, what must be true about saliva?

Answer 1

It needs a neutral pH

Question 2

What are two examples of early colonizers of the dental pellicle

Answer 2

S. mitis

S. oralis

Question 3

How do the early pellicle colonizing bacteria affect the pellicle’s microenvironment?

Answer 3

They make it more anaerobic by consuming oxygen

Question 4

Secondary colonizers adhere to the early colonizers by what method?

Answer 4

Coadhesion/Coaggregation

Question 5

What is produced by colonizing bacteria that consolidates the attachment of the biofilm?

Answer 5

Extracellular polymers/Plaque matrix

Question 6

What is the chemicoparasitic theory of caries disease?

Answer 6

Microbes degrade carbs to acids….acids demineralize enamel

Question 7

Is caries a transmissable disease?

Answer 7

Yes

Question 8

What are the two most cariogenic bacteria

Answer 8

S mutans

S sobrinus

Question 9

What does the term acidogenicity mean

Answer 9

A bacteria’s ability to rapidly convert sugar to acid

Question 10

What does the term aciduricity mean

Answer 10

Ability to thrive and synthesize acids in a low pH environment

Question 11

What can cariogenic bacteria synthsize from sucrose

Answer 11

Extracellular polysaccharides like glucans to attach themselves to a biofilm

Question 12

What can some cariogenic bacteria due that allows them to create acids even when the host is not providing them

Answer 12

They can save excess sugars intracellularly in the form of storage polysaccharides

Question 13

What sites on the tooth are most prone to carious lesions

Answer 13

fissures (especially for S. mutans)

Question 14

What is stated by the specific plaque hypothesis

Answer 14

Only a small amount of the many oral bacterial species are actively cariogenic

Question 15

What is the critical pH for enamel demineralization

Answer 15

5.5