title: Moderation of oral bacterial adhesion on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite by polyaspartate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Synthetic sodium alpha,beta-polyaspartate (PA) has been investigated as a moderator of adhesion and the subsequent biofilm formation by oral bacteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The inhibition of bacterial adhesion by PA was assessed by (i) a 30-min incubation with Streptococcus sanguis in a microtitre assay with the wells coated with hydroxyapatite (HAP) and (ii) an 18-h challenge with human salivary microflora in a HAP disc assay. In contrast to HAP-coated surfaces, clean polystyrene surfaces in the microtitre assay exhibited no anti-adhesion properties. It has been found that PA significantly and similarly adsorbs onto HAP surfaces in the presence and absence of salivary coating. The HAP disc assay also showed that PA, both in aqueous solutions and in toothpaste, reduced the level of adhered microflora and this effect was enhanced by added propylene oxide-ethylene oxide copolymers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The principal finding from this work is the potential role for PA as an inhibitor of dental plaque formation. PA may significantly modify the salivary pellicle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work indicates the use of PA in controlling the development of dental plaque and the formation of bacterial biofilm in general.
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield and Boots National Centre for Applied Research into Oral Health, and Department of Oral Health and Development, School of Clinical Dentistry, Sheffield S10 2TA, UK. y.h.guan@shef.ac.uk
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Lath
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Graaf
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lilley
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Brook
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption / Q000187:drug effects; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects*; D044622:Dental Pellicle; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000517:prevention & control; D017886:Durapatite; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011095:Polyethylenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011126:Polypropylenes; C017645:polyaspartate; C078661:UCON 50-HB-5100; D017886:Durapatite