| a monobasic acid, C3H6O3, formed as an end product in the intermediary metabolism of carbohydrates. The accumulation of lactic acid in the tissues is in part responsible for the lowering of pH levels during inflammatory states; that is, the drop in pH level is believed to hasten bone resorption in periodontitis because the minerals in the bone are stable within the matrix only at the normal tissue pH level of 7.4. |