Lactic acid production by oral Streptococcus mitis inhibits the growth of oral Capnocytophaga.

Various relationships including inhibition or stimulation of growth have been demonstrated among the bacteria present in dental plaque, both in vitro and in vivo. A large number of these relationships involved oral Streptococci. An earlier study found that strains of Streptococcus mitis inhibited the growth of potential periodontopathic microorganisms, such as Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Capnocytophaga and species of Bacteroides and Fusobacterium. The present investigation showed that this inhibitory effect resulted primarily from lactic acid production.