Ms. Lark, while I understand your concerns about the results of your recent dental biofilm examination, I would like to take some time to explain the diagnosis in more detail to help alleviate those concerns. First, it is important to remember that dental biofilm is not a disease, nor does it result from poor dental habits on your part, as these naturally occurring collections of bacterial communities are simply microorganisms functioning as nature intended. You have probably heard of plaque, while that oral health issue is widely known, and the data obtained from empirical studies during the last decade shows that plaque is simply one manifestation of dental biolfilm (Reddy et al., 2012). Nonetheless, the presence of this biofilm on your teeth or tongue is a serious matter, because modern dental science has shown that these bacterial communities can cause a number of harmful oral and periodontal diseases. The disclosing solution we administered earlier utilizes a simple food coloring solution, along with erythrosin, a coal-tar derivative (Che´rel et al., 2008) to bind to the microbial structure of the biofilm, allowing dental hygienists to "see" a substance that is often undetectable to the naked eye.
Project Management, Sustainability and Whole Lifecycle Thinking
Explaining Dental Biofilm to a Client
While showing Pamela the pink/purple disclosing stain on her teeth, she comments "oh-that is from my lunch earlier today. I did not have time to brush before the appointment." Respond to her comment by explaining what the disclosing solution showed.
Lark, while I understand your concerns about the results of your recent dental biofilm examination, I would like to take some time to explain the diagnosis in more detail to help alleviate those concerns. First, it is important to remember that dental biofilm is not a disease, nor does it result from poor dental habits on your part, as these naturally occurring collections of bacterial communities are simply microorganisms functioning as nature intended. You have probably heard of plaque, while that oral health issue is widely known, and the data obtained from empirical studies during the last decade shows that plaque is simply one manifestation of dental biolfilm (Reddy et al., 2012). Nonetheless, the presence of this biofilm on your teeth or tongue is a serious matter, because modern dental science has shown that these bacterial communities can cause a number of harmful oral and periodontal diseases. The disclosing solution we administered earlier utilizes a simple food coloring solution, along with erythrosin, a coal-tar derivative (Che'rel et al., 2008) to bind to the microbial structure of the biofilm, allowing dental hygienists to "see" a substance that is often undetectable to the naked eye. Everybody develops dental biofilm throughout the course of their lives, and the only viable remedy is the regular removal of the substance through teeth scraping, professional prophylaxis, scaling, and root planning in an effort to halt clinical detachment loss (Collins, 2004).
2.) "How does biofilm develop/form on my teeth? What is biofilm made from?"
No matter how often you brush your teeth or use mouthwash, the natural textures of your teeth, gums and tongue, along with continually active salivary glands, will always provide dental biofilm with the moist, warm, nutrient-rich surface it needs to thrive. Biofilms are unique distinguished from planktonic bacteria because they are considered mutualistic communities, complete with a recognizable 3 -- dimensional structure and complex nutritional and communicative pathways (Hiyari & Bennett, 2011). Biofilm is made up of a complex coating which covers the tongue, gums, and teeth on a microscopic level, consisting of hundreds of unique species of bacteria.
3.) "What is the significance of having biofilm on my teeth?"
The presence of dental biofilm does not single you out by many means; in fact, every patient I have ever treated has dealt with this issue in one way or another. The significance of your personal dental biofilm diagnosis will mainly be a matter of convenience, as you will need to make an appointment to come back and see us for a full cleaning and biofilm removal procedure on a regular basis. That is just a fancy way we will be cleaning your teeth more often than we were before, in an effort both to remove the existing biofilm bacteria from your teeth, and to prevent it from accumulating in the future.
4.) "How is my plaque score of 70% related to biofilm?"
Plaque is simply the traditional term for what we now knows as dental biofilm, and your 70% plaque score is just an indication that the bacterial biofilm in your mouth is most prevalent on the porous surfaces of your teeth. Teeth are the most common area of the mouth to foster the formation of dental biofilm, due to their porous surface and regular contact with organic matter.
5.) "Does biofilm affect all tissues in my mouth? Can it cause problems on my tongue?"
According to the latest research on the subject of dental biofilm, this problem affects the entire mouth, including the teeth, tongue, and gums. Along with many of my peers in the dental community, I recommend that patients with a history of biofilm issues employ a process of gentle tongue scraping to remove any noticeable buildup of the substance, because the anaerobic properties of tongue biofilm bacteria are responsible for bad breath and other harmeful effects. (Slim, 2009).
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