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A 35-year-old woman presents with severe irritation, swelling and redness of gums, as well as tooth pain and receding gums. The patient has not sought dental care in over five years and has a history of poor oral hygiene. She has a diet high in processed and sugary food. Upon initial examination, she is discovered to have several cavities and gingivitis. Questions: 1) What properties help the biofilm stick to the tooth surface? What do you know about these cellular features? What advantages do the microbes have when living in dental biofilms? 2) According to the passage, different bacteria inhabit dental fissures versus the gingival crevices in a typical patient's oral cavity. Why do you think these bacteria inhabit the areas that they do? 3) How does tooth brushing and flossing affect the chemical and physical properties of the biofilm? 4) Which of the following is the best explanation of the patient's development of cavities and periodontal disease? a) Cavity causing bacteria were depleted of nutrients based on the patient's low-quality diet, killing these species and leaving the patient's teeth bare and vulnerable to high levels of acid. b) Cavity causing bacteria were inundated with nutrients, based on the patient's low-quality diet, allowing high-acid producing species to dominate. c) A sugar-rich diet led to decreased saliva production and contributed to the desiccation of the beneficial biofilm. d) A sugar-rich diet led to increased saliva production, leading to decreased attachment of the plaque to the tooth.

A 35-year-old woman presents with severe irritation, swelling and redness of gums, as well as tooth pain and receding gums. The patient has not sought dental care in over five years and has a history of poor oral hygiene. She has a diet high in processed and sugary food. Upon initial examination, she is discovered to have several cavities and gingivitis.
Questions:
1) What properties help the biofilm stick to the tooth surface? What do you know about these cellular features? What advantages do the microbes have when living in dental biofilms?
2) According to the passage, different bacteria inhabit dental fissures versus the gingival crevices in a typical patient's oral cavity. Why do you think these bacteria inhabit the areas that they do?
3) How does tooth brushing and flossing affect the chemical and physical properties of the biofilm?
4) Which of the following is the best explanation of the patient's development of cavities and periodontal disease?
a) Cavity causing bacteria were depleted of nutrients based on the patient's low-quality diet, killing these species and leaving the patient's teeth bare and vulnerable to high levels of acid.
b) Cavity causing bacteria were inundated with nutrients, based on the patient's low-quality diet, allowing high-acid producing species to dominate.
c) A sugar-rich diet led to decreased saliva production and contributed to the desiccation of the beneficial biofilm.
d) A sugar-rich diet led to increased saliva production, leading to decreased attachment of the plaque to the tooth.

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