[Progress in study of oral biofilm dispersal-inducing agents]

Communities of bacteria wrapped in self-generated extracellular polymeric matrix and attached to a solid surface are known as biofilm. Biofilm formation and development can be divided into three stages: adhesion of cells to a surface, reproduction of the cells, and dispersion of cells. The procedure, which surface-attached biofilm disperses bacterial cells into the environment to colonize new sites, is defined as biofilm dispersal. Biofilm dispersal is an essential stage of biofilm life cycle. It plays an important role in the transmission of bacteria. For many pathogenic bacteria, biofilm dispersal can transform bacteria in biofilm into planktonic state and promote the spread of infection. The formation of biofilm may increase the resistance of bacteria to antimicrobial agent and host defence response compared with planktonic cells. In the oral cavity, oral microorganism can attach to the surface of oral tissue and prosthesis to form biofilm. Dental caries and periodontal disease are oral chronic infections diseases of the oral tissue. The occurrence of them has a close relationship with biofilm. The mechanism of dispersal is a hot topic in recent years. Some agents which promote dispersal might be a therapeutic potential against biofilm infections. The clinical implication of dispersal agents and potential application are promising. This article reviews the dispersal-inducing agents of oral biofilms.