Bacteriology of experimental gingivitis in young adult humans

Abstract

From replicate trials of experimental gingivitis in four periodontally healthy subjects, 166 bacterial species and subspecies were detected among 3,034 randomly selected isolates from 96 samples. Of these bacteria, Actinomyces naeslundii (serotype III and phenotypically similar strains that were unreactive with available antisera), Actinomyces odontolyticus (serotype I and phenotypically similar strains that were unreactive with available antisera), Fusobacterium nucleatum, Lactobacillus species D-2, Streptococcus anginosus, Veillonella parvula, and Treponema species A appeared to be the most likely etiological agents of gingivitis. Statistical interpretations indicated that the greatest source of microbiological variation of the total flora observed was person-to-person differences in the floras. The next greatest source of variation was the inflammatory status of the sample sites. Person-to-person differences were smallest at experimental day 4. The floras became more diverse with time and as gingivitis developed and progressed. Analyses indicated that sequential colonization by certain species was repeatable and therefore probably predictable. Variation was relatively small between replicate trials, between two sites on the same teeth sampled on the same day, and between the same sites sampled at the same relative time in a replicate trial.

Microbiological and clinical effects of a dentifrice containing zinc citrate and Triclosan in the human experimental gingivitis model

“…In this study, the ratio of anaerobes :aerobes increased significantly in the placebo group but not in the test group. Thus the plaque from the placebo group more closely resembled plaque associated with gingivitis (Moore et al 1982;. Also, after 3 weeks experimental gingivitis, plaque isolated from the test group contained lower numbers of Actinomyces species than plaque from the placebo group.…”

“…As there is some evidence that these bacteria can be correlated with the onset of gingivitis (Jordan et al 1972, Crawford et al 1978a, a reduction in numbers may be chnically significant. Moore et al (1982) correlated the onset of gingivitis with an increase in plaque complexity. At the end of this study plaque from the test group contained a greater spectrum of bacterial species than plaque from the placebo group.…”

“…The onset of chronic gingivitis has been correlated with plaque accumulation (Loe et al 1965, Kornman 1986) and an increase in the proportions of Gramnegative anaerobic bacteria (Syed & Loesche 1978). These changes in the oral flora that occur as plaque ages and gingivitis develops have been well documented (Ritz 1967, Syed & Loesche 1978, Moore et al 1982. Their studies have shown that young plaque associated with gingival health contains high numbers of Streptococcal species whereas older plaque, often associated with gingivitis, contains high numbers of Actinomyces species and anaerobic bacteria.…”

A prospective study on oral microbial flora and related variables in dentate dependent elderly residents

“…The total number of microorganisms growing under anaerobic conditions and the total number of streptococci were calculated. Further, growth of Streptococcus sanguinis/oralis and Streptococcus salivarius, associated with good oral health 18 , mutans streptococci and lactobacilli, associated with dental caries 19 , Actinomyces spp., associated with root caries 20 , Fusobacterium nucleatum and Prevotella intermedia/nigrescens, associated with gingival inflammation 21 , Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycytemcomitans, associated with periodontitis 22 and Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, enteric rods and enterococci, associated with mucosal infection 23 , was all analysed. The detection limit was 100 colony-forming units for all species except A. actinomycytemcomitans, where the detection limit was 10 colony-forming units.…”

Microbial colonization patterns of loosely adherent subgingival plaque in adult periodontitis

“…exogenously secreted, end-product of Adinomyces species. Thus, the overgrowth of Actinomyix's such as that which occurs in gingivitis (Moore et al 1982) would be expected to enhance the observed colonization frequency and numerical density of Baclcroides species. Grenier et al (1986) demonstrated that Wolinella recia produced protohema that stimulated the growth of Bacleroides gingivalis and Bacleroides melaninogenicus.…”