Progress toward understanding the contribution of alkali generation in dental biofilms to inhibition of dental caries

Alkali production by oral bacteria is believed to have a major impact on oral microbial ecology and to be inibitory 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.