The term biofilm is so new to science that it may not yet appear in your textbook. Dental plaque was among the first groups of biofilms to be studied.
Teeth provide a hard surface on which biofilms can attach themselves.
Saliva and the remains of food we eat are both sources of nutrients for the bacteria that contribute to the formation of dental plaque and associated periodontal diseases. Not all biofilms are harmful. Some biofilms are part of the normal flora inside our bodies and others help our bodies produce vitamins. A new research area known as bioprospecting has developed from the use of biofilms in biotechnology. The Edmonds Institute, International Center for Technology Assessment, Alliance for the Wild Rockies and a Bozeman, Montana, citizen group filed a complaint more than two years ago that the agreement, known as a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, violated park conservation laws.