First Line of Defense
This is the body's largest barrier against infection.
What is the skin?
This immune response is present from birth and provides immediate protection.
What is the innate immune system?
These are spherical-shaped bacteria.
What are cocci?
This simple daily habit is the first line of defense against oral bacterial buildup.
What is tooth brushing (oral hygiene)?
Sensitivity measures the ability of a test to detect this.
What are true positives?
This enzyme found in tears and saliva destroys bacterial cell walls.
What is lysozyme?
The inability of the immune system to function properly, leading to susceptibility, is called this.
What is immunodeficiency?
These are rod-shaped bacteria.
What are bacilli?
This mineral strengthens enamel and helps resist bacterial acid attack.
What is fluoride?
A highly sensitive test is useful for ruling this out.
What is ruling out disease?
The flushing action of this organ system helps prevent urinary tract infections.
What is the urinary system?
This type of immunity failure allows normally harmless organisms to cause disease.
What is opportunistic infection?
These bacteria have a spiral or corkscrew shaped.
What are spirochetes?
Community control measures for oral pathogens include this public health intervention in water.
What is water fluoridation?
If a test has 95% sensitivity, this percent of people with the disease will test positive.
What is 95%?
The low pH of this digestive organ provides a chemical barrier against ingested microbes.
What is the stomach?
What is an epitope?
Spiral-shaped bacteria often move using these tail-like structures.
What are flagella?
Regular dental visits contribute to this level of disease prevention.
What is secondary prevention (early detection and control)?
Specificity measures the ability of a test to detect this.
What are true negatives?
Mucociliary clearance in the respiratory tract depends on these two components working together.
What are mucus and cilia?
These white blood cells engulf and destroy invading microbes.
What are phagocytes, macrophages or neutrophils?
An amoeba moves by way of this.
What is a pseudopod?
Control of oral pathogens mirrors general infectious disease control through this epidemiologic triad.
What is the agent–host–environment model?
This test does NOT diagnose disease.
What is a screening test?