• BMB Reports
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.42-47
• /
• 2015

Streptococcus mutans is frequently associated with dental caries. Bacterial fermentation of food debris generates an acidic environment on the tooth surface, ultimately resulting in tooth deterioration. Therefore, various mouthwashes have been used to reduce and prevent Streptococcus mutans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of 4 commercial mouthwashes and those of 10% and 20% ethanol solutions (formula A, B, C, D, E and F) against Streptococcus mutans using biofilm and planktonic methods. The range of reduction in the viable cell count of Streptococcus mutans as estimated by the biofilm and planktonic methods was 0.05-5.51 log ($P{\leq}0.01$) and 1.23-7.51 log ($P{\leq}0.001$) compared with the negative control, respectively, indicating that the planktonic method had a stronger antibacterial effect against S. mutans. Among the tested formulations, formula A (Garglin $regular^{(R)}$ mouthwash) was the most effective against Streptococcus mutans ($P{\leq}0.001$).

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.77-87
• /
• 1999

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of Streptococcus oralis on the formation of artificial plaque and the replication of Streptococcus mutans. S. mutans was incubated alone and in the combination with S. oralis in the beaker with wires. The produced plaque weight and the viable cells of S. mutans were compared between those cultures. Various factors were studied about the effect on the formation of plaque and the replication of S. mutans. Followings are the results. 1. Lower amount of plaque was produced and fewer cells of S. mutans were replicated at the mixed culture of S. mmutans and S. oralis than S. mutans alone. 2. When 10 mM glucose was added, the plaque weight was increased in the culture of S. mutans alone. But in the mixed culture of S. mutans and S. oralis, the plaque weight was not increased when 10 mM of glucose was added. 3. When 10 mM fructose was added, the plaque weight was increased in the culture of S. mutans alone or combined S. mutans and S. oralis. 4. In the mixed culture of S. mutans and S. oralis with different concentration, the more S. oralis exist, the less plaque and the fewer viable cells of S. mutans were observed. 5. The plaque weight and the viable cells of S. mutans were more decreased in the mixed culture of S. mutans and S. oralis than S. mutans alone after 12 hours. 6. When Staphylococcus epidermidis consuming hydrogen peroxide was added to the mixed culture of S. mutans and S. oralis, the plaque weight and the viable cells of S. mutans were increased. These results indicate that S. oralis inhibited the formation of plaque and the replication of S. mutans, and this may result from the formation of hydrogen peroxide S. oralis.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.87-97
• /
• 1992

The purpose of this study is to investigate the age-and sex-related changes in the pH of resting saliva, viscosity, microorganisms and immunoglobulin A of stimulated whole saliva, and to investigate their correlations. The 120 healthy subjects were included in this study and the author used cone-and plate digital viscometer for viscosity, MSB agar for Streptococcus mutans, SL Rogosa agar for lactobacilli, and single radial immunodiffusion technique for immunoglobulinA. The obtained results were as follows : 1. There was no significant difference in pH, viscosity, Streptococcus mutans lactobacilli and immunoglobulin A of the saliva between males and females. 2. The viscosity values of stimulated whole saliva showed the increasing pattern with aging. 3. DMFS (or dmfs) rate was not correlated with pH, viscosity, Streptococcus mutans, lactobacilli and immunoglobulin A of the saliva. 4. There was a significant difference in the concentration of immunoglobulin A between the group under 10 and groups above 10. 5. The viscosity values of stimulated whole saliva showed the increasing pattern with decreasing of the number of Streptococcus mutans.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.15-23
• /
• 2000

Streptococcus salivarius is a normal inhabitant in the human oral cavity. Streptococcus salivarius 119 in this study was isolated from the oral cavity of child and identified, and its action mechanism on the formation of denal plaque by Streptococcus matans was studied. 1. The optical density of absorbance at 550 nm was 0.327 in the culture of Streptococcus mutans in disposable cuvette, whereas being 0.119 in the combined culture of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus salivarius 119. 2. The mean weight of produced artificial plaque on the wires in the beaker was 84.7mg in culture of Streptococcus mutans only, whereas being reduced to 12.3mg in the combined culture of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus salivarius 119. 3. When Streptococcus mutans was cultured in the media containing culture supernatant of Streptococcus salivarius 119 in BHI broth, the mean weight of produced artificial plaque was 100.5mg on the wires, whereas being reduced to 20.4mg in the media containing culture supernatant of Streptococcus salivarius 119 in BHIS broth. 4. The viable cells of Streptococcus oralis and Streptococcus salivarius 119 were $4.8\times10^7\;and\;7.5\times10^8$ per ml respectively after each culture, wheras being $4.2\times10^7\;and\;5.8\times10^7$ per ml in the combined culture of Streptococcus oralis and Streptococcus salivarius 119. 5. The polymer produced by Streptococcus salivarius 119 was glucan on the thin layer chromatography. 6. The glucan produced by Streptococcus salivarius 119 was water-soluble glucan containing $1\rightarrow6$ linkages as the main linkage on the thin layer chromatography. These results suggested that isolated Streptococcus salivarius 119 inhibited the formation of artificial plaque by the production of water-soluble glucan.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.117-119
• /
• 1990

A combination of magnolol or honokiol with lysozyme isolated from the egg white of the Korean Ogol fowl (Korean natural monument No.265) exhibited synergistic effect of bactericidal activity against a typical cariogenic bacterium, Streptococcus mutans OMZ 176. The synergistic ratio increased with time dependence.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.199-203
• /
• 2007

Dental caries is a major worldwide oral disease problem. Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) plays an important role in the information of dental plaque and it is being noticed as major causative bacteria of dental caries. Therefore, the development of more effective, substantial and safe preventive agents against dental caries is strongly required. In the present study, inhibitory effects of the ethanol extract of the husk of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) on the growth, acid production, adhesion and water-insoluble glucan synthesis of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) were examined. The ethanol extract of pomegranate husk (250 - 4000 ${\mu}$g/ml) significantly lowered the growth of S. mutans in a dose dependent manner. The acid production of S. mutans were inhibited by the presence of ethanol extract of pomegranate husk (500 - 4000 ${\mu}$g/ml) significantly. The ethanol extract of pomegranate husk (5000 - 4000 ${\mu}$g/ml) also significantly lowered the adherence of S. mutans. In water-insoluble glucan synthesis assay, 1000 - 4000 ${\mu}$g/ml of the ethanol extract of pomegranate husk significantly inhibited the formation of water-insoluble glucan. These results suggest that pomegranate husk may inhibit the caries-inducing properties of S. mutans. Further studies are necessary to clarify the active constituents of pomegranate husk responsible for such biomolecular activities.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.56-63
• /
• 2022

This study aims to determine the antibiofilm effect of cell-free supernatant (CFS) of Lactobacillus brevis strains against Streptococcus mutans strains. To study the antibiofilm mechanism against S. mutans strains, antibacterial effects, cell surface properties (auto-aggregation and cell surface hydrophobicity), exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, and morphological changes were examined. The antibiofilm effect of L. brevis KCCM 202399 CFS as morphological changes were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), compared with the control treatment. Among the L. brevis strains, L. brevis KCCM 202399 showed the highest antibiofilm effect on S. mutans KCTC 5458. The antibacterial effect of L. brevis KCCM 202399 against S. mutans KCTC 5458 was investigated using the deferred method (16.00 mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration of L. brevis KCCM 202399 against S. mutans KCTC 5458 was 25.00%. Compared with the control treatment, L. brevis KCCM 202399 CFS inhibited the bacterial adhesion of S. mutans KCTC 5458 by decreasing auto-aggregation, cell surface hydrophobicity, and EPS production (45.91%, 40.51%, and 67.44%, respectively). L. brevis KCCM 202399 CFS inhibited and eradicated the S. mutans KCTC 5458 biofilm. Therefore, these results suggest that L. brevis KCCM 202399 CFS may be used to develop oral health in the probiotic industry.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.19-25
• /
• 2006

This study was undertaken to develop PCR primers for the identification and detection of Streptococcus mutans (by)using species-specific forward and universal reverse primers. These primers targeted the variable regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA coding gene (rDNA). The primer specificity was tested against 11S. mutans strains and 10 different species (22 strains) of oral bacteria. The primer sensitivity was determined by testing serial dilutions of the purified genomic DNA of S. mutans ATCC $25175^T$. The data showed that species-specific amplicons were obtained from all the S. mutans strains tested, which was not observed in the other species. The direct and nested PCR could detect as little as 2 pg and 2 fg of the chromosomal DNA from S. mutans ATCC $25175^T$, respectively. This shows that the PCR primers are highly sensitive and applicable to the detection and identification of S. mutans.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.531-537
• /
• 2006

Lactic acid-producing bacteria (LABs) are known to have various beneficial properties for health. However, they are generally considered to have an adverse effect on teeth, since they produce acid. Nonetheless, milk and cheese containing specific LAB strains were recently found to have an inhibitory effect on dental caries in children, with an inhibitory activity towards the growth of Streptococcus mutans suggested as the responsible mechanism. Accordingly, the current study selected a probiotic candidate for oral health and studied its inhibitory mechanism against dental caries. Twenty-two LAB species belonging to eleven genuses were screened for promoting bone nodule formation using direct microscopic examination. Only one isolate, Weissella kimchii strain PL9001, increased the bone nodule formation significantly. The addition of W. kimchii strain PL9001 to bone cells prepared from mouse calvaria increased the bone nodule formation, calcium accumulation, and activity of alkaline phosphatase (the osteoblastic marker). Moreover, W. kimchii strain PL9001 inhibited the invasion of Streptococcus mutans into bone cells, and an organic extract of the culture supernatant of W. kimchii strain PL9001 inhibited the growth of Strep. mutans. Therefore, the results suggest that W. kimchii strain PL9001 can be used as a preventive measure against dental caries. This is the first time that a LAB has been shown to promote bone nodule formation and prevent the invasion of Strep. mutans into bone cells.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.33 no.4 s.131
• /
• pp.319-323
• /
• 2002

This study was carried out to develop anticariogenic agents from natural products, the methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of 105 medicinal plants were tested for the antimicrobial activity against a cariogenic bacterium, Streptococcus mutans OMZ 176. Among them, the Aristolochia contorta, Dryopteris crassirhizoma, Eugenia caryophyllata, Hemerocallis fulva, Pinellia ternata, Pyrola japonica, and Scrophularia buergeriana showed significant antimicrobial activity.