The 20th annual Symposium will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2009.

Spatial and Temporal Comparison of Bacterial Community Composition in Selected Adult Oral Cavities
Poster Session-Science Complex Atrium, 4:00 PM

Sachi  Vyas,   '10 90
   Major: Biology
   Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI

Sponsor(s): Ola Olapade
Support:  

Abstract: 
The oral cavity of the human mouth has a myriad of microbes present that are typically involved with and influenced by individual health and hygiene conditions. This study particularly examined bacterial populations in three selected adult oral cavities with varying hygiene practices. The impacts of the various oral hygiene techniques used by these individuals (e.g., teeth brushing at least twice a day, regular flossing and using of mouthwash) were quantified using standard microbiological techniques. The bacterial populations, specifically of Streptococcus and Staphylococcus, in the oral cavities were enumerated using various techniques, including nucleic acid staining and viable plate counts. In summary, the bacterial numbers were observed to be highly elevated in the oral cavities of the adults that failed to practice proper hygiene techniques. The results from this study appeared to indicate that each of the three adult oral cavities examined appeared to have unique patterns of bacterial growths that are attributable to their specific oral hygiene techniques and dental anatomy. Overall, this study strongly suggests that an individual’s dental anatomy and types oral hygiene practices could potentially influence overall health status and specifically aid in the prevention of bacterial-induced periodontal diseases such as dental caries in humans.

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