Clinical and microbiological aspects of chemotherapeutic agents used according to the specific plaque hypothesis

Certain forms of dental decay and periodontal disease appear to be due to specific bacterial infections following overgrowth of certain indige-nous plaque bacteria, i.e., the specific plaque hypo-thesis. If so, then antimicrobial treatment based on a diagnosis of elevated levels or proportions of these organisms shiould be considered. Such treat-ment cannot be administered according to con-cepts of the non-specific plaque hypothesis. A treatment philosophy is presented which is based upon considerations long established in medical infections following overgrowth of certain indige-nous plaque bacteria, i.e., the specific plaque hypo-microbial to the site of the infection for periods long enough to suppress or destroy the pathogenic agent. Examples of this treatment philosophy are given