title: Progress toward understanding the contribution of alkali generation in dental biofilms to inhibition of dental caries.
abstract: Alkali production by oral bacteria is believed to have a major impact on oral microbial ecology and to be inhibitory to the initiation and progression of dental caries. A substantial body of evidence is beginning to accumulate that indicates the modulation of the alkalinogenic potential of dental biofilms may be a promising strategy for caries control. This brief review highlights recent progress toward understanding molecular genetic and physiologic aspects of important alkali-generating pathways in oral bacteria, and the role of alkali production in the ecology of dental biofilms in health and disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Ya-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Marcelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Burne
mesh_terms: D000376:Agmatine / Q000378:metabolism; D000468:Alkalies / Q000378:metabolism*; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D014510:Urease / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000468:Alkalies; D000376:Agmatine; D001120:Arginine; D006867:Hydrolases; D014510:Urease; C019723:arginine deiminase