New edition of a highly popular textbook on oral microbiology suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate dental students, research workers, and a wide range of clinical dental professionals. Successfully describes the complex relationship between the resident oral microbiota and the host in health and disease Retains a unique ecological approach to the subject which provides a clear set of principles to explain whether the microbiota will have a beneficial or an adverse relationship with the host at a particular site Exploration of the biological and clinical significance of the oral microbiota in the form of a biofilm on dental and mucosal surfaces