Effects of Foods on Bacterial Metabolic Processes

¹ Gibbs Dental Research, Unilever Research Laboratory, Isleworth, Middlesex, England

This paper compared the mouth to a continuously fed, mixed culture of bacteria growing slowly in limited nutrients. Some of the pertinent literature on bacterial physiology was discussed and the findings were applied to the in vivo situation. The metabolic role of various substances, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, was described and a few of the differences between in vitro fermentation, rat plaque, and fermentation in human plaque were mentioned.