What Is Biofilm?
Biofilm consists of bacteria, which cling together and make up a coating, for example on the surface of a tooth. The coating consists of bacteria cells and a layer of mucous, which has been secreted by the cells and glues them together.
Biofilm is a major problem. On a small scale, they cause cavities in teeth and gums, and as biofilm is far more resistant to antibiotics and other chemical substances that free-living bacteria, biofilm poses a risk in the food industry, for example. In hospitals, biofilm may be life threatening and slow down the recovery from a large number of illnesses and the healing of wounds. Biofilm, however, is also used constructively in purification plants, where bacteria biofilm break down substances that are difficult to handle.