Bacteria destroying teeth how to treat. Photographs of teeth under a microscope or what plaque actually looks like. The main causative agents of caries

A series of micrographs taken by specialists from the Science Photo Lab in London,
more than clearly demonstrates what is happening in our mouth. Pictures were taken
with help electron microscope and then colored to highlight
individual elements.

Plaque-forming bacteria at 1000x magnification.

Dental plaque (400 times magnification) - is a biofilm formed by
colonizing bacteria that try to attach themselves to the surface of the tooth.

And this is the same plaque at a magnification of 10,000 times.

Baby tooth. Most of human teeth is formed from dentin - a substance that envelops the cavity, which contains soft connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves. Then the crown of the tooth is covered with enamel (white in the photo above) - a stronger and more mineralized substance that protects the dentin from acids in the mouth. At the root of the tooth, the dentin is protected by a substance called cementum (pink), which serves as a means by which periodontal ligaments can attach to the tooth for stability.

Shown here is the enamel-forming layer of the cell (blue), the surface of the tooth (yellow), and the dentin (red). Loss of enamel or cementum exposes dentin, a porous substance with microscopic channels called dentinal tubules that connect the pulp, resulting in tooth sensitivity.

Yellow shows plaque on the surface of the tooth. Acid is a waste product generated during digestive process bacteria. It demineralizes the tooth, creating carious cavities that need to be filled or that could lead to tooth loss

An incisor with a hollow or mineral loss caused by acidic bacterial debris. AT this case caries formed on the side of the tooth (between two teeth) and at the gum line (between the crown - yellow - and the root), possibly due to lack of flossing or from flossing misuse.

Bacteria on the gum. The accumulation of plaque can lead to gum disease,
such as gingivitis or periodontitis.

Human tooth surface (colored yellow), carpet of spherical bacteria (colored blue)
and blood vessels (colored red).

Toothbrush bristles. They wear and tear over time, reducing the effectiveness of your toothbrush.
Change toothbrush need at least every 3-4 months. However, wear may vary from one
people depending on their habit of brushing their teeth. If necessary, the toothbrush should be changed earlier.

The bristle of a toothbrush covered with plaque. Rinse your toothbrush thoroughly after brushing your teeth. hot water to remove any remaining toothpaste or particles of plaque and bacteria. It should dry in a standing position. outdoors. Closed containers contain more moisture, which promotes the development of microorganisms.

Plaque on the bristles of a used toothbrush at 750x magnification.

Interdental brushes (as pictured) have small heads with bristles designed to clean the spaces between teeth. Your dentist may advise you to use an interdental brush, but it does not replace dental floss.

A more detailed view of the bristles of a used interdental brush covered with plaque.

Crown milk tooth. Its root has exfoliated through a process known as temporal
tooth resorption. This was caused by pressure from the growing permanent tooth.

Plaque-forming bacteria at 1000x magnification.

Bacteria that form plaque.

Plaque-forming bacteria at 8000x magnification.

Among other uses, dental drills (pictured) are also used to remove soft tissue and bacteria from plaque before preparing for a filling, otherwise new plaque may start to form under the filling.

The tip of the grinder.

Calcium phosphate crystals used to remineralize a tooth after mineral loss due to bacteria.

dental pin

Caries is a process of tooth decay that occurs with the active participation of oral microorganisms. In Fig. 1-2 you can see what caries looks like in the oral cavity and on the cut of the tooth.

Why does caries appear?

According to this theory, the causes of caries are as follows: there are cariogenic microorganisms in the oral cavity, which, in the presence of carbohydrates in the oral cavity (which are contained in food residues remaining in the oral cavity after eating), begin to process these carbohydrates into organic acids. When such an acid is exposed to any part of the tooth surface, first the surface layer of the enamel is destroyed, and then the formation of a carious cavity.

Those. main reason caries is poor oral hygiene. Accumulations of soft microbial plaque, hard tartar and food debris poor hygiene see fig.3-5.

What bacteria cause dental caries?

Caries-causing bacteria are primarily Streptococcus mutans, and to some extent Streptococcus sanguis and Actinomycetes. It should be noted here that the effect of these cariogenic bacteria is not expressed in the same way in all people: in some people, the activity of these microorganisms, and, accordingly, their pathogenic effect, is greater, and in some it is less. This difference is associated with the state of natural defenses, the body's resistance.

So, it was found that in people with weakened immunity, soft plaque is formed more actively than in people with pronounced immunity. Moreover, if soft plaque can still be removed with a regular toothbrush, simply by brushing your teeth, then tartar can no longer be removed on your own. Tartar adheres very tightly to the teeth, and it can only be removed at a dentist's appointment using, for example, ultrasound.

Soft plaque turns into hard tartar (dental deposits) within a few days, due to the impregnation of plaque with calcium salts. Therefore, as soon as the formation of tartar - negative impact microorganism continues constantly (both day and night), even if you suddenly began to brush your teeth regularly after meals and thoroughly clean soft plaque and food debris.

Additional factors contributing to the development of caries -

In addition to the main factors (cariogenic microorganisms and food residues), there are also predisposing causes for the appearance of caries in the oral cavity, which can accelerate the development of caries. These include:

• Low rate and amount of saliva secretion –
  salivation contributes to some extent to the washing of food residues from the teeth after eating. So per day, normally, about one and a half to two liters of saliva should be produced. If a person's salivation is low, then this is a prerequisite for more rapid development caries.

• Neutral indicator of acidity of saliva - –
  if saliva has alkaline environment, then it can to some extent neutralize the organic acids produced by cariogenic microbes. If saliva has a neutral acidity index, then it will not neutralize organic acids that destroy teeth.

• Violation of the diet –
  one of the decisive factors is the frequency of consumption of carbohydrates (sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose and starch). Therefore, periodic snacks between main meals in the form of cookies, sweets, buns, etc. (provided there is no subsequent immediate brushing of the teeth) - leads to the development of caries.

Most often, caries forms in the following areas -

First of all, caries is formed in places of accumulation of soft plaque and dental deposits, as well as food debris:

• Cervical areas of teeth(Fig. 7) -
  there, first of all, soft microbial plaque accumulates.

• Interdental spaces(Fig. 8) -
  in these gaps, food residues that cannot be cleaned with a toothbrush get stuck. For these purposes, use is necessary, and most people either do not use it at all, or use it irregularly.

• Fissures on chewing surfaces of teeth(Fig. 9) -
  chewing surfaces large teeth (molars and premolars), which have deep irregularities and grooves on the surface, which are good places to retain food waste.

Factors of natural protection against caries -

On the other hand, there are factors of natural protection of teeth from the action of microorganisms. These include:

So, low content Lysozyme in saliva or low enamel mineralization can also contribute to the development of caries.

Forms of caries -

In development carious process It is customary to distinguish 4 stages, each of which reflects the depth of tooth decay.

Knowledge about microbes seems to us necessary only at school age, in biology lessons. However, for children up to school age this information is equally important. Often, children neglect brushing their teeth, washing their hands, and these hygiene rules are extremely important for health. Before we tell anything to children, let's remember what microbes are.

What are bacteria and microbes?

These are small creatures: it is impossible to see them with the naked eye. Examine surrounding objects for the presence of microbes on them under a microscope. Microbes live everywhere. They move with the help of flagella or tails, and in the water they bounce like balls. Animals and people are also carriers of microbes: on hands, unwashed vegetables and fruits, wool.

Microbes feed on everything that is around. If you see mold on a piece of bread, it means that microbes have settled on it. Microorganisms can be breeding grounds for disease: they are viruses. To recover and get rid of the multiplied microbes, a person is forced to take medication. To fight germs, it is imperative to follow the rules of hygiene.

However, keep in mind: a dry and boring story about bacteria is unlikely to impress a baby. He will listen to everything, but, most likely, he will continue to neglect his health. Poems, videos, photographs, pictures will help to present information about microbes for children in a bright, interesting way.

Study aids

To keep the children impressed by your story, show them pictures, photos or a video film. Prepare these materials under a microscope. Scientists use a microscope to study the life of microbes.

Pictures and photos show microbes magnified by a microscope millions of times. Poems about hygiene rules can accompany your story. You can download pictures, photos and poems for children on our website.

Video

An interesting cartoon or video film, in which there is a photo under a microscope, will show the baby the danger of microbes faster and brighter. Here are some of the good and useful cartoons that you can watch on our website.

Lessons from Aunt Owl

This cartoon is a wonderful tale about microbes and their influence on the human body. The information is presented in an accessible way, without unnecessary terminology and is aimed specifically at children of preschool or primary school age. The cartoon is accompanied by simple and at the same time understandable verses, and main character- Aunt Owl's assistant - looks at harmful bacteria under a microscope, where microbes appear as if they were alive. You can watch the cartoon here:

Why brush your teeth?

This video film tells in detail why you should wash your hands and brush your teeth, how a person feels the taste, how the digestion process takes place, etc. Boring scientific information is presented in the form of characters that represent microbes, impulses that enter the human brain and are responsible for taste, etc. Thanks to such a non-standard presentation of material, the kid will be able to literally visualize not only what microbes are (this topic is secondary in the cartoon), but also generally understand how human body. You can watch the cartoon here:

Mitya and microbus

The next cartoon called "Mitya and the microbe" is more suitable for preschoolers. This video film tells about the boy Mitya, who, like all children, neglected the methods of hygiene. The cartoon has an interesting plot about beneficial bacteria and microbes fighting each other. Microorganisms are presented in the form of small men, which seem to be observed under a microscope. The cartoon is puppet, but it is no less interesting to watch it. The characters in it sing cheerful songs, simple and instructive. You can watch or download the video film here:

Arkady Parovozov

This is a video film based on computer graphics. It is a story about a girl Masha who ate an unwashed tomato with germs. As a result, she developed a fever and a stomach ache. But a certain Arkady Parovozov comes to the rescue, a kind of Superman who drives away microbes and returns Masha good health. This is not to say that the cartoon is drawn perfectly. The figures are rather schematic, and all attention is directed to the poems about microbes, which the author of the video reads behind the scenes. You can watch the cartoon here:

You are your microbes

This cartoon is more of a scientific video film with explanations, pictures and photos. It will be more interesting junior schoolchildren. Here photos of microbes and animated shootings alternate. There are no songs or poems in the cartoon. When offering it to a child, this factor must be taken into account: the child must be ready for perception. You can watch the cartoon with photos here:

So, a fairy tale about microbes in the form of a movie or cartoon is an excellent tool for teaching kids.

They may look like rare plants or the surfaces of other planets, but these horrific "alien invaders" are actually plaque that coats your teeth. We bet you won't forget to clean them tonight.

The photographs were taken with a microscope and specially colored to highlight individual elements.

1. This is what plaque (highlighted in yellow) looks like on the teeth (highlighted in blue).

2. Tooth enamel (Blue colour) - the outer protective shell of the upper part of the human teeth. Enamel is the most hard tissue in the human body, which is explained high content inorganic substances- up to 97%.

3. And here it is, plaque - an accumulation of bacteria in the form of a film that forms on the teeth. Magnified 400 times.

4Alien Invasion: 1000x magnified plaque.

5. Destruction process bone tissue(resorption) of a milk tooth.

8. Destruction of the incisor tooth. The hole was formed due to acid - the result of bacterial fermentation of food debris accumulated on the surface of the tooth.

9. Bacteria on the gums leading to periodontitis.

13. Plaque on the bristles of a toothbrush. 750x magnification.

What is the most The best way protect teeth from dental caries? Even children know the answer. regular cleaning toothpaste and floss, limiting the use of sweets and sugary drinks. But the oral cavity also protects itself and tries to destroy the bacteria that cause cavities. Scientists have found a way to help our teeth protect themselves from harmful microorganisms. Other bacteria will help with this.

Our mouth is a haven for a variety of microorganisms. To get rid of caries, you need to reduce the content of bacteria that destroy other teeth, and populate it with beneficial microorganisms They are called probiotics. Scientists from the University of Florida at Gainesville set out to find a bacterium that could protect teeth from pathogens. To do this, they use cotton swabs collected bacteria in the mouths of children from 2 to 7 years old, with healthy teeth.

It has long been noted that caries in children is either completely absent or affects many teeth. Scientists have checked which bacteria can help babies cope with caries. The most promising microorganism was the A12 bacterium, it has all the properties to help fight tooth decay.

acid wars

The bacteria that cause cavities develop when too much acid builds up in the mouth. They destroy the enamel that protects the teeth. With food, acids get when we eat acidic foods: lemons, oranges, apples. But the main source is bacteria from the genus Streptococcus.

bacteria in our oral cavity can be compared with famous comic book characters A12 is Superman, and C. Mutans streptococcus is Lex Luther. C. mutans feed on sugar and secrete lactic acid. How more sugar, the better streptococci live, the better they live, the more lactic acid they cause. At the same time, in acidic environment beneficial microorganisms die. As a result, C. Mutans becomes the king of the oral cavity and it is almost impossible to get rid of it.

But the A12 has several features that help it beat S. mutans in the fight for dental health. First, they secrete substances that kill bacteria that cause cavities. Ordinary hydrogen peroxide, which we use to disinfect cuts.

Secondly, A-12 prevents streptococci from forming biofilms. Biofilms are communities of microorganisms that adhere to surfaces. In the mouth they look like white coating. It builds up on our teeth when we forget to brush our teeth. In order for streptococci to form colonies, they must send messages to each other using chemical substances. A12 prevents these substances from spreading through the oral cavity.

The third amazing ability of A12 is its effect on the acidity in the mouth. She will allocate a small amount of ammonia to neutralize acids.

Current state of the study

You should not expect that tomorrow bacteria will appear at dentists. This discovery still needs to be fully explored. According to scientists, probiotics are likely to become commonplace. They will be added to regular products: chewing gum, toothpaste, mouthwash. The only thing scientists need to find is a way to easily and efficiently deliver live bacteria to the consumer. When they succeed, courageous Supermen will appear in the mouth of each of us, who will kill the bacteria that cause cavities.

But this does not mean that by populating our mouths with A12 bacteria, we will be able to abandon toothpaste and dental floss. Microscopic supermen are not omnipotent.