ABSTRACT
Impetus for much of the current research on oral microorganisms has stemmed from the finding of a relationship between the metabolism of the bacteria associated with the teeth and two of the most prevalent diseases affecting man: caries and periodontal disease. This chapter discusses aspects of the metabolism of oral bacteria considered to be important in both health and disease. Periodontal disease is a collective term for several conditions which attack the supporting tissues of the teeth. More teeth are lost through periodontal disease than as a result of dental caries. Tissue destruction results from the production of enzymes and toxic end products of metabolism by bacteria, and is also attributable to a destructive host inflammatory response to these products and to antigenic components on the surface of these organisms. Evidence for the role of bacteria in periodontal disease has come from studies of gnotobiotic animals.
