ESTABLISHING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR GROWTH OF ACIDURIC BACTERIA IN THE ORAL CAVITY

¹ Department of Microbiology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan

Significant sudden increase and return again to the individual level of lactobacilli was observed following insertion and withdrawal, respectively, of a plate applied to the palate. This phenomenon was interpreted as not indicating a fluctuation of caries activity, but resulting from the establishment of an anaerobic fermentation space where lactobacilli could grow predominantly.