10 billion bacteria have nowhere to hide

Periodontal disease is believed to effect just under half of the UK population[i] and with poor oral hygiene being the most common cause, finding any areas for improvement in this area is critical as we look to support public health. There are also further implications if we consider the many established links between oral and systemic health. With billions of bacteria potentially residing within patients’ interdental spaces, effective removal of this biofilm is a must.

A study[ii] has been conducted looking into the composition of interdental biofilm and the impact this could have on periodontal health. The interdental bacteria of 25 healthy participants were qualified and quantified using a real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results demonstrated an average of 10 billion bacteria from each interdental site. A significant proportion of which (8.08 per cent of bacteria assessed) were red Socransky complexes, which are major contributors to adult periodontal disease. Another significant bacterium associated with periodontitis is P. gingivalis, which was found in 0.02 per cent of samples and in 19 per cent of participants.