Oral colonization by anaerobic bacteria during childhood: role in health and disease.

Anaerobes constitute a significant part of bacterial communities in human mouths. Their ability to colonize and survive in the environment, where remarkable changes occur during early childhood, is fundamental for oral homeostasis. However, relatively little is known of the time of colonization and succession of anaerobic species in the oral cavity. This article presents an up-to-date review on the development of the oral anaerobic microflora in respect to age, and in addition, considers some aspects of the role of oral anaerobes in health and disease.