Sterling Wright

1 Introduction The cyclic mineralization of dental plaque—a biofilm formed when microorganisms adhere to the tooth surface—leads to the formation of dental calculus (Lieverse 1999; White 1997). Dental calculus accumulates over an individual's lifetime, creating a long-term record of their oral microbiome—the diverse community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi and parasites inhabiting the human mouth (Baker et al. 2024; Wade 2013; Dewhirst et al. 2010).

People who grow up in places like Brownsville, a small industrial coal town located in South Western Pennsylvania, develop a greater appreciation for small-town America (A concept that, for most people, has become lost in the past). Brownsville is populated by a little over 2,500 people.