Abstract
Although fluoride has been widely used in the prevention of dental caries, the effect of fluoride on the activity of biofilm in different stages of cariogenic biofilm formation is less studied. This study aimed to investigate the antibiofilm activity of sodium fluoride during early and mature Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) biofilms formation. S. mutans biofilms were formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite disks. In the early (0 ~ 46 h) and mature (46 ~ 94 h) biofilm stages, the biofilm was treated with different concentrations of fluoride (250, 500, 1000, 2000 ppm; 5 times in total, 1 min/treatment). Acidogenicity, dry weight, colony-forming units, water-soluble/insoluble extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), and intracellular polysaccharides were analyzed and confocal laser scanning microscopy images were obtained of the two stages of biofilms (early and mature biofilms). To determine the antibiofilm activity of sodium fluoride during the formation of early and mature biofilms, and to evaluate the relationship between different concentrations of sodium fluoride and antibiofilm activity. In the early cariogenic biofilm formation stage, all fluoride concentration test groups (250, 500, 1000, 2000 ppm) significantly inhibited the growth of S. mutans biofilm. The antibiofilm and anti-EPS formation activities of the brief fluoride treatment increased in a concentration-dependent pattern. At the mature biofilm stage, only the 2000 ppm fluoride treatment group significantly inhibited biofilm accumulation, activity, and intracellular/extracellular polysaccharide content compared with the control and other fluoride treatment groups. The antimicrobial activity of fluoride is related to the formation stage of cariogenic biofilm. The early formation stage of cariogenic biofilm is more susceptible to the inhibition of fluorine than the mature stage. The fluoride treatment in the early formation stage of cariogenic biofilm may be an effective means to control the development of cariogenic biofilm and prevent caries.
Surface Properties of Resin Composite Materials Relative to Biofilm Formation
