January 1997
Oral Ecology
Dental researchers are making significant strides in identifying the microorganisms that colonize the mouth. To head off serious decay and disease, scientists are developing tools that prevent these microbes from gaining a foothold.
By Jane E. Stevens
The next time you kiss someone, think about this: in your mouth, and in the mouth of every adult, live more than 400 different species of microorganisms, mostly bacteria. Billions and billions of them grow in layers, crowded together and wrapped cozily around each other, on every slimy surface, dark nook, and inviting cranny. It's enough to make a body want to keep lips permanently pursed.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology