Name a major structural adhesion factor used by oral bacteria to attach to surfaces and other microbes?

Name a major structural adhesion factor used by oral bacteria to attach to surfaces and other microbes?

• A. Fimbriae (pili) or adhesins on the bacterial surface
• B. Flagella
• C. Capsule
• D. Endotoxin

Answer: (A)

Adhesion in oral bacteria is driven by fimbriae (pili) and the adhesins on their surface. These hair-like structures project from the cell and carry proteins at their tips that recognize receptors in the tooth’s saliva-derived pellicle or on neighboring bacteria, enabling the initial attachment to surfaces and enabling coaggregation to form dental plaque. While capsules can influence adherence in some species and flagella are mainly for movement, neither is the primary structural apparatus for sticking to surfaces or other microbes, and endotoxin is not involved in attachment.