Dental plaque formation

Dental plaque is a complex biofilm that accumulates on the hard tissues (te eth) in the oral cavity. Although over 500 bacterial species comprise plaqu e, colonization follows a regimented pattern with adhesion of initial colon izers to the enamel salivary pellicle followed by secondary colonization th rough interbacterial adhesion. A variety of adhesins and molecular interact ions underlie these adhesive interactions and contribute to plaque developm ent and ultimately to diseases such as caries and periodontal disease. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.