The invention includes a method of distinguishing among oral bacterial species to determine whether a species is orally deleterious. Such method includes contacting at least one bacterium or portion of a bacterium of a species of oral bacterial a gingival cell； and detecting the presence of an indicator compound. The substantial absence of an indicator material signifies that the species of bacteria is not a deleterious species. Also included within the scope of the invention are methods for determining the anti-inflammatory effect of an agent. Such methods include contacting the cell with the agent in the presence of a deleterious bacterium or portion of such bacterium and detecting the presence of an indicator compound. The substantial absence of an indicator material signifies that agent is an anti-inflammatory agent.本發明包括一種在口腔細菌菌種之間進行區辨以測定某一菌種是否對口腔有害的方法。此種方法包括將至少一種細菌或一種屬於口腔細菌菌種之細菌的部分與齒齦細胞接觸；並偵測一種指標化合物的存在。基本上沒有指標物質存在表示該細菌菌種並非有害菌種。同時也包含在本發明之範疇中的是測定一種藥劑的抗發炎效果之方法。此種方法包括在有害的細菌或此種細菌之部分存在下將細胞與該藥劑接觸，並偵測一種指標化合物的存在。基本上沒有指標物質存在即表示該藥劑是一種抗發炎的藥劑。
