Microbiology of chronic periodontitis

Abstract

Chronic periodontitis is an oral infection that results into destruction involving the gums, cementum, periodontium and alveolar process bone. The major etiology of periodontitis is bacterial plaque, which harbors a variety of pathogenic bacteria known as periopathogens or periodontopathogens. The most important periopathogens are anaerobic bacteria: Porphyromonas gingivalis , Tannerella forsythia , Treponema denticola , Fusobacterium nucleatum , Prevotella intermedia and the relative anaerobe Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans . Periopathogens can affect the immune system cells, stimulating them to produce inflammatory mediators. The development of inflammatory lesions in chronic periodontitis may restrict oral lactobacilli.