Speaker: Seog Bae Oh, DDS, PhD
Department of Neurobiology and Physiology
Seoul National University School of Dentistry

Abstract: In this talk, Dr. Oh will present ongoing works on the differential roles of oral microbiota in tooth pain and periodontal pain. It is well known that direct sensing of pathogens by nociceptive neurons modulates pain and inflammation during bacterial infection. Distinctive bacterial communities are formed in the oral microenvironment and pain responses differ by oral diseases: while tooth pain from acute pulpitis and dentin hypersensitivity produces intense pain, periodontitis is not usually accompanied by pain. Dr. Oh will discuss how oral microbiota interact with sensory neurons to modulate pain responses differently in the teeth and periodontium.