THE CHEMISTRY OF PLAQUE

How bacteria residing in the oral cavity utilise your dinner to form a plaque paradise

1 DINNER TIME

Colonising bacteria utilise energy from ingested sugar, available in the oral cavity, to lay the foundation of plaque.

2 SETTING THE STAGE

The colonisers produce molecules known as glucosyltransferases (GTFS), which facilitate the production of cavity-causing, or cariogenic, plaque.

3 EXPOSED

Prior to producing a biofilm, bacteria are readily exposed to oxygen and so can undergo aerobic – or oxygen-utilising – processes.

4 COMING TOGETHER

GTFS perform numerous functions, binding both to sugars and other bacteria for incorporation into plaque.

5 ASSEMBLY

Colonising bacteria and some GTFS stick to the enamel surface, while other GTFS break sugar into glucans, which then also join the budding matrix.

6 UNDER COVER

As the plaque expands, the encased bacteria are separated due to oxygen exposure, creating an anaerobic environment.

7 ACID TEST

Deep within the biofilm, against the enamel, bacteria undergo anaerobic respiration, creating lactic acid as a by-product, which erodes the tooth.