Modulation of plaque microbial composition for periodontal disease management
Periodontal diseases are characterised by chronic inflammation and can be classified into different clinical stages which are associated with transitions in plaque microbial diversity and signatures in composition. The transition from health to gingivitis is associated with a build up of plaque at the gingival margin resulting in inflammation, an increase in microbial diversity and soft tissue swelling to form a pocket. The environment of the pocket, which can become anaerobic, may allow the emergence of Gram-negative anaerobes and a further increase in inflammation and microbial diversity. The emergence of the Gram-negative anaerobes in a susceptible host and suitable pocket can lead to a state of dysbiosis, where the consortium of microbes in the periodontal pocket becomes pathogenic, with a transition from gingivitis to periodontitis involving destruction of the tooth’s supporting tissues. In a recent human clinical trial using a saliva biomimetic, which has been shown previously to increase the level of plaque commensal/beneficial bacteria, the biomimetic significantly reduced gingival inflammation in a dose-dependent relationship. The plaque microbiome was significantly altere

Learning Objectives