UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga held another inauguration of professors on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. One of the four inaugurated professors was Prof. Rini Devijanti Ridwan, drg., M.Kes. In her oration, Prof. Rini explained past, present, and future oral or dental microbiology in realizing caries-free Indonesia in 2030.
Oral microbiology, also known as dental microbiology, is a study of diseases in the oral cavity, especially those caused by microorganisms. Prof. Rini said that the condition of oral or dental microbiology is the initial discovery of the presence of microbes in the oral cavity.
The basic form of oral microorganisms will be obtained through oral or dental microbiology. “The shape can be various such as cocci, rods or bacilli, and also spirals,” said Prof. Rini.
Advances in oral microbiology provide a continuous understanding of the various conditions in the oral cavity. This advancement will provide more specific and proactive therapy. “Therefore, dental and periodontal disease can be treated quickly and appropriately,” she said.
“Currently, there are also many studies on oral or dental microbiology. This is important because the development of this research leads to an early detection method and a new approach to diseases in the oral cavity,” explained the professor of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga (FKG UNAIR).
The most common diseases caused by these microorganisms are dental caries and periodontitis. Dental caries causes infection in the hard tissues of the teeth. Meanwhile, periodontitis is inflammation in the oral cavity that results in tooth loss.
“The incidence of periodontitis is quite high, both in Indonesia and worldwide. According to Basic Health Research (Riskesdas), in 2018, the percentage of the disease reached 74.1% in Indonesia. Meanwhile, this disease was ranked 11th as the most common disease in the world,” said Prof. Rini.
Periodontitis is caused by various gram-negative bacteria such as Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tanella forsythia, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. “But the main causes are Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis,” said the oral biologist professor.
Periodontitis begins with a complex interaction between the pathogen and periodontal, with host immunity. “The environment and genetics strongly influence it,” she concluded.
Author: Fauzia Gadis Widyanti
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
