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We review the literature on the oral microbiome and the role of the microbiota in the development of dental caries and periodontitis. While most research has been focused on identifying one or more specific determinants of these diseases, the results have provided limited predictive value and have not been able to explain the variation in the distribution of these diseases observed in epidemiological or clinical studies. Drawing on existing knowledge about the nature of the oral microbiota, we suggest that a stochastic model based on the Weiner process provides simple and parsimonious explanations for the pathogenesis of both caries and periodontitis, making few assumptions, and providing explanations for phenomena that have hitherto proved difficult, or have required complex arguments, to explain. These diseases occur as the result of the dental hard tissues and periodontal tissues integrating the random "noise" caused by normal metabolic activities of commensal microorganisms in the dental biofilm. The processes that result in the progression and regression of caries and periodontitis may be considered as "natural," rather than pathological, even if, when left unchecked over long periods of time, they can result in the development of pathologies. The likelihood of progression or regression can be influenced by other determinants, but these processes will nevertheless occur in the absence of such influences. The distributional characteristics of the model approximate the findings of epidemiological studies indicating that, for both caries and periodontitis, there will be few sites affected in the early period after the eruption of the permanent dentition, but in those older there is an almost linear relationship with increasing age; furthermore, the longer a site survives without being affected, the less likely that it will be affected. We discuss the clinical and public health importance of these findings., (© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of palladium touch microelectrodes, connected to battery-run pH meters, for in vivo plaque pH measurements in children. The pH was assessed in 20 7-year-old and in 19 14-year-old caries-active and caries-inactive rural Kenyan children. The resting pH was measured at non-carious interproximal and occlusal sites and in open dentine cavities. Independent repeated measurements were performed at given sites at intervals of 15 s and 5 min and on different days. The resting plaque pH varied widely among the children, and there was no significant difference between caries-active and caries-inactive groups. The most striking feature was the considerable erratic fluctuations of pH at a given site with time, both in resting and in sucrose-challenged plaque. These fluctuations were sensitively recorded by palladium touch microelectrodes. After a sucrose rinse, not all sites in the same mouth behaved in a similar fashion, and thus the classical 'Stephan curve' was not always apparent. In conclusion, the palladium touch microelectrodes are highly applicable for plaque pH measurements in children, even under extreme field conditions.

In 5 rural Kenyan children, the effect of sugarcane chewing on plaque pH was compared with the effect of a mouthrinse with 10% sucrose at various intraoral sites. They all had poor oral hygiene and at least two carious cavities in occlusal surfaces of molars. pH measurements were conducted under field conditions using paladium touch microelectrodes connected to a battery-operated pH meter. There was a marked difference in pH response of non-carious approximal sites between maxilla and mandible, with the lowest values in the maxilla. However, the pH recovery following the instantaneous drop occurred in parallel even if most pH values had not returned to baseline values 30 min after the sucrose rinse. Following the sugarcane chewing, the pH fall was less pronounced on all sites, and within 5-10 min the values had returned to resting pH and even exceeded this. In carious cavities, a similar pattern was observed, although the acidity in these sites was more pronounced, also reflected in a lower resting mean pH. The main conclusion from this study is that sugarcane chewing yields a less pronounced pH drop and a quicker pH recovery in dental plaque than is seen following a mouthrinse with 10% sucrose. This difference probably results from stimulation of salivary flow associated with the chewing.

A study was conducted amongst 1,131 randomly selected persons aged 15-65 years in a rural area of Kenya, having minimal access to dental care. A relatively low prevalence of frank cavitation was found in the 15- to 24-year-old cohort, but in the older age groups over 80% were so affected. Caries in the youngest cohort was characterized by a predominance of enamel lesions. At the age of 25-34 years, however, involvement of pulpal tissues and loss of teeth due to caries was more common, and this age group exhibited the largest number of dentinal lesions. The 35- to 44-year-old cohort exhibited fewer enamel and dentinal lesions, but more pulpally involved lesions and more extracted teeth. In the group aged 45-54 years, enamel and dentinal lesions were less common, and at the age of 55-65 years, such lesions were less common in comparison to their occurrence in younger cohorts. The 55- to 65-year cohort could generally be characterized as having larger numbers of root surface lesions, lesions involving the pulp, and extracted teeth. Root surface lesions were principally associated with age over 35 years. In all age groups caries exhibited a skewed distribution, most of the lesions occurring in a minority of individuals. This study demonstrates that caries activity continues throughout life and is not a phenomenon confined to any one period of life.