Description
Busy clinicians usually regard periodontal microbiology as a “theoretical” science primarily related to research. However, modern periodontal therapy requires an understanding of the microbial population of the periodontium in health and disease in order to appreciate the rationale for the use and action of toothpastes, mouthwashes and antimicrobial drugs. In this update, the current concepts of plaque microbiology and its role in the multifactorial pathogenesis of periodontal diseases are discussed with special emphasis on microbiological and immunological concepts of disease progression.
