Bacteria are constantly evolving to survive. One major consequence is that many harmful microbes are becoming resistant to antibiotics and disinfectants, creating serious challenges for medicine and public health. But not all bacteria are dangerous. In fact, many are essential to keeping the human body healthy. Now, scientists are exploring whether it may be possible to influence bacterial behavior instead of simply trying to destroy bacteria outright. Inside the human mouth, bacteria are in near constant communication. Roughly 700 bacterial species live there, and many exchange chemical messages through a process called quorum sensing. Some of these microbes communicate using signaling molecules known as N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). Researchers from the College of Biological Sciences and the School of Dentistry set out to investigate how these bacterial signals shape the oral microbiome and whether interrupting those signals could help prevent harmful plaque buildup while preserving healthy bacteria.…