As researchers learn more about the dental biofilm and its characteristics, dentistry is able to develop new methods to disrupt the biofilm, prevent initial caries, or arrest and reverse current lesions.
In this video presentation, Dr. Mark S. Wolff, Dean of School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, explains that the global challenges to oral health are many. An examination of the impact of caries as a global crisis demonstrates that caries continues to be a chronic problem despite being a preventable and treatable disease. Current preventative methodologies have focused on the utilization of fluoride to increase the remineralization process and reduce demineralization. The incorporation of arginine in the biofilm is believed to create a probiotic/prebiotic effect in which commensal bacteria create a more alkaline environment, favoring a reduced acidic environment that causes tooth demineralization.
