Microflora in the healthy gingival sulcus in man.

The roll tube culture technique was utilized to examine quantitatively and qualitatively the predominant cultivable microflora inhabiting the clinically healthy gingival sulcus. Seven periodontists aged 32-54 years were included in the study. From a total of 350 isolates, 85 (24.3%) were obligate anaerobes, 53 (15.0%) were Gram negative, and 197 (56.3%) were categorized as rods. Actinomycetes predominated in three samples. Four samples were dominated by Streptococcus species. The flora as revealed in the present study comprised a markedly lower proportion of Gram-negative organisms than that found at the base of deep periodontal pockets.