Attempts to measure impedance pulses of intact, in situ human teeth

Background:The use of biomimetic agents is an emerging field in modern oral care. Promising biomimetic substances for such applications are calcium phosphates, because their chemical composition is very similar to that of the mineral phase in human teeth, especially of natural enamel. Examples for their application include the remineralization of early caries lesions and repair of small enamel defects.Objective:This review provides an interdisciplinary view on calcium phosphates and their applications in biomimetic oral care. The aim of this work is to give an overview ofin vivoandin situstudies comparing several calcium phosphates in preventive dentistry that can be used as a knowledge base for the development of innovative alternative oral care concepts.Methods:Books, reviews, and original research papers with a focus onin vivoandin situstudies were included. The databases PubMed®and SciFinder®were used for literature search. Calcium phosphates that are frequently utilized in oral care products are covered in this review and were used as search terms alone and together with the following key words:in vivo,in situ, caries, clinical study, and remineralization. From 13,470 studies found, 35 studies complied with the inclusion criteria and were used for this review.Results:Publishedin vivoandin situstudies demonstrate calcium phosphates’ potential in enamel remineralization. However, more studies are needed to further substantiate existing results and to extend and refine the application of calcium phosphates in modern oral care.Conclusion:Calcium phosphates represent an innovative biomimetic approach for daily oral care because of their high similarity to natural enamel that will broaden the range of future treatments in preventive dentistry.

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Spatial mapping of polymicrobial communities reveals a precise biogeography associated with human dental caries

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1919099117 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 117 (22) ◽

pp. 12375-12386 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Dongyeop Kim ◽

Juan P. Barraza ◽

Rodrigo A. Arthur ◽

Anderson Hara ◽

Karl Lewis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dental Caries ◽

Inner Core ◽

Spatial Patterning ◽

Human Teeth ◽

Microbial Biofilms ◽

Biofilm Model ◽

Virulence Potential ◽

Multiple Species ◽

Polymicrobial Communities

Tooth decay (dental caries) is a widespread human disease caused by microbial biofilms.Streptococcus mutans, a biofilm-former, has been consistently associated with severe childhood caries; however, how this bacterium is spatially organized with other microorganisms in the oral cavity to promote disease remains unknown. Using intact biofilms formed on teeth of toddlers affected by caries, we discovered a unique 3D rotund-shaped architecture composed of multiple species precisely arranged in a corona-like structure with an inner core ofS. mutansencompassed by outer layers of other bacteria. This architecture creates localized regions of acidic pH and acute enamel demineralization (caries) in a mixed-species biofilm model on human teeth, suggesting this highly ordered community as the causative agent. Notably, the construction of this architecture was found to be an active process initiated by production of an extracellular scaffold byS. mutansthat assembles the corona cell arrangement, encapsulating the pathogen core. In addition, this spatial patterning creates a protective barrier against antimicrobials while increasing bacterial acid fitness associated with the disease-causing state. Our data reveal a precise biogeography in a polymicrobial community associated with human caries that can modulate the pathogen positioning and virulence potential in situ, indicating that micron-scale spatial structure of the microbiome may mediate the function and outcome of host–pathogen interactions.

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