title: Effect of 1-Minute Fluoride Treatment on Potential Virulence and Viability of a Cariogenic Biofilm.
abstract: Fluoride is a well-studied and widely used agent for the prevention of dental caries. Although dental caries is strongly related to cariogenic biofilms, the effect of brief fluoride treatment on the virulence properties of biofilms has not been well studied. This study evaluated the effect of a 1-min fluoride treatment on the virulence properties and viability of cariogenic biofilms, using a Streptococcus mutans biofilm model. For this study, 46-hour-old S. mutans biofilms were formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite discs and were treated with fluoride (0, 30, 300, 1,000, and 2,000 ppm F(-)) for 1 min. Viability and changes in acidogenicity, aciduricity and extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) formation of the biofilms were analyzed using biochemical and microbiological methods (pH drop, H(+) permeability, acid killing, and bacterial colony-forming unit assays). Laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy study was also performed. After the 1-min fluoride treatment, acidogenicity, aciduricity, and EPS formation of 46-hour-old S. mutans biofilms were significantly reduced when treated with concentrations ≥300 ppm F(-). The antivirulence activities of the 1-min fluoride treatment increased in a concentration-dependent pattern. However, the 1-min fluoride treatments did not affect viability, biovolume, and microcolony appearance of biofilm bacteria, even at high concentrations. These results suggest that the brief treatment with fluoride at concentrations ≥300 ppm F(-) is an effective measure for controlling cariogenic biofilms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Institute of Oral Bioscience and BK 21 Plus Program, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Santosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pandit
authors.forename: Jian-Na
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jae-Gyu
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Jeon
mesh_terms: D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000187:drug effects; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology*; D044622:Dental Pellicle / Q000737:chemistry; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D011522:Protons; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013997:Time Factors; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D011522:Protons; D017886:Durapatite; D005459:Fluorides