• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 1991

Dental caries has been reported to be infectious disease by Streptococcus mutans(S. mutans). The ability of S. mutans to produce dental plaque has been shown to be related to glucan synthesis from sucrose by glucosyltransferase (GTase). Glucan is known to play an important role in the initiation of smooth surface caries. For preventing dental caries by traditional medicines, two hundred kinds of natural products were assayed for inhibiting activity against S. mutans and GTase. During the assay course, we chose some active plants against S. mutans and GTase and then applied these plant extracts to toothpaste.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.459-465
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• 1999

The inhibition degree of the isolated bacteria on plaque formation of Streptococcus mutans, and the effect of these bacterial genus on the concentration of total bacteria in saliva were assessed with the following. The effectiveness of the isolated bacteria on the inhibition of plaque formation was assessed culturing Streptococcus mutans in the beaker with orthodontic wires. The mean weight of plaque produced on a wire was 152mg in the culture of Streptococcus mutans only, whereas being reduced to 4mg, 78mg, or 72mg in the combined culture of Streptococcus mutans and Enterococcus durans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, or Streptococcus oralis. The colony forming units (CFU) of Streptococcus mutans were $3.6{\times}10^8$ per ml in the culture of Streptococcus mutans, only, wheras being $1.4{\times}10^6,\;5.6{\times}10^6,\;or\;3.8{\times}10^6$ per ml in the combined culture of Streptococcus mutans and Enterococcus durans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, or Streptococcus oralis. When saliva from children was inoculated on brain heart infusion agar, the colony forming units of bacteria were $4.8{\times}10^6\;to\;1.3{\times}10^9$ per ml of saliva. The concentration of Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, or Streptococcus inhibiting Streptococcus mutans in saliva was not proportioned to that of total bacteria replicated on brain heart infusion agar. These results indicate that the isolated bacteria inhibited the replication of Streptococcus mutans, resulting into inhibiting the formation of plaque, but the concentration of Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, or Streptococcus inhibiting Streptococcus mutans, in saliva might not affect the total bacterial concentration of saliva.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.35 no.1 s.108
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• pp.51-59
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to compare the species and biotypes of mutans streptococci isolated from dental plaques sampled from the interfaces between the bracket aid tooth surface and smooth tooth surfaces In orthodontic patients. Dental plaque was collected from the interfaces between brackets aid teeth (test group), and from smooth tooth surfaces distant from brackets by more that 2mm (control group). The dental plaque collected by a sterilized curette was transferred into a vial of 1 X PBS. The sample in the vial was vigorously vortexed for 1 min and plated ou mitis-salivarius bacitracin (MSB) agar plate using cotton tips. The agar plates were incubated at $37^[\circ}C$ in a candle jar for 2 days, and again incubated for 1 more day at anambient temperature Individual colonies were cultured in TH broth at $37^[\circ}C\;CO_2$ incubator. The PCR-RFLP based on dextranase gene was performed for the identification of mutans streptococci at the species-level For biotyping of mutans streptococci, biochemical tests were performed There was no significant difference of the species of mutans streptococci isolated from both test and control groups However, the biotypes of the mutans streptococci isolated from test and control groups were different. These results may offer the basic data to verify the relationship between the mutans streptococci biotype and enamel decalcification or dental caries in orthodontic patients with fixed appliances.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.80-91
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• 2003

Mutans streptococci, especially S. mutans and S. sobrinus strongly implicated in pathogenesis of dental caries, the major cause of tooth loss in children. Use of an antibacterial agent controlling dental caries has been rationalized. The present study was performed to observe the antibacterial effect of inorganic polyphosphates (polyP) on S. mutans and S. sobrinus. S. mutans GS5 and S. sobrinus 6715 were grown in brain-heart infusion broth with or without polyP. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of polyP for S. mutans GS5 was determined to be 0.08% and that for S. sobrius 6715 was 0.17%. PolyP 15 added to the growing culture of S. mutans GS5 and S. sobrinus 6715 at their exponential phase was as effective in inhibiting the growth of S. mutans GS5 and S. sobrinus 6715 as polyP added at the very beginning of the culture. More than 85% of the cells lost their viability determined by viable cell count when polyP 15 was added to the culture of growing S. mutans GS5 at MIC, suggesting that polyP 15 has bacterial effect on the bacterium. And more than 99.9% of the cells lost their viability determined by viable cell count when polyP 15 was added to the culture of growing S. sobrinus 6715 at MIC, suggesting that polyP 15 has bacterial effect on the bacterium. Intracellular nucleotide release from S. mutans CS5 and S. sobrinus 6715 was increased in the presence of polyP 15 for 5h but was not really reversed by the addition of divalent cations like $Ca^{++}\;and\;Mg^{++}$. The majority of the cells appeared to be atypical in their shape, demonstrating accumulation of highly electron-dense granules and ghost cells. The overall results suggest that polyP have a strong bactericidal activity against S. mutans and S. sobrinus in which lysis in relation to chelation may not play the major role but unknown mechanism that possibly affects the viability of the bacterium may be involved. PolyP may be used as an agent for prevention of dental caries.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.401-410
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• 2006

Dental caries results from localized demineralization of tooth enamel by acids of bacterial origin produced from the fermentation of dietary sugars. A group of related oral bacteria, collectively known as mutans streptococci, are implicated as the primary etiological agents of human caries. Within this group, Streptococcus mutans has been known as a causative agent for dental caries. As well as acid production yielding the demineralization of tooth enamel, adherence and colonization of S. mutans to the teeth are also important for their virulence Cell-surface fibrillar proteins, which mediate adherence to the salivary pellicle are virulence components of mutans streptococci, and primary candidates for a human caries vaccine. Here we report that the AgI/II gene from S. mutans GS-5 were cloned by PCR amplification of the bacterial chromosomal DNA and the integrity of cloned genes were confirmed by nucleotide sequencing. Sequence analyses showed the sequence alignment of 280 nucleotides between the cloned AgI/II and the reported sequence of S. mutans GS-5 showed the perfect match The cloned genes which signal nucleotide was truncated, were transferred into bacterial expression vector and the recombinant proteins were purified as His-tag fusion proteins In order to generate polyclonal antibodies against the recombinant proteins, AgI/II mr, some $100{\mu}g$ of the proteins was injected into mice three times. It can be used for an effective vaccine production to prevent dental caries caused by pathogenic S. mutans.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.127-131
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• 2004

This study was to study the antibacterial effect of Lignum sappan extract on S. mutans growth. The antibacterial activities of Lignum sappan's crude extract was measured 17.3 mm at 20 mg/ml concentration. The growth of S. mutans in control medium was the highest at 8hr, while the media of Lignum sappan extract added-medium (2 mg/ml) showed maximum growth at 16hr. The pH values of the control media was 5.08 at 8hr, but the media supplemented with Lignum sappan extract was 6.69 at 8hr. The amounts of total carbohydrate of the control media was 0.81 mg/ml at 8hr, but the media supplemented with Lignum sappan extract was 2.06 mg/ml at 8hr. In the protein change of culture medium, the control culture broth and the cultures supplemented with Lignum sappan extract was 8.39 mg/ml and 12.3 mg/ml at 8hr, respectively. The S. mutans polysaccharide contents of the control media and the media supplemented with Lignum sappan extract was 300 mg/100ml and 60 mg/100ml at 8hr, respectively.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.24 no.1 s.44
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• pp.181-192
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• 1994

The effect of topical application on the number of S. mutans was tested in a group of 44 orthodontic patients (mean age, 12Y 3M). They were divided into 5 groups according to the method using NaF and $SnF_2$. The number of S. mutans CFU were counted in stimulated saliva of each subject at baseline, and after one, two, three, and eight weeks. The following results were obtained. 1. In NaF rinsing group, and NaF topical application and NaF rinsing group, the number of S. mutans per ml saliva was not significantly changed. 2. In $SnF_2$ topical application group, and $SnF_2$ topical and NaF rinsing group, the number of S. mutans per ml saliva was significantly reduced. 3. After 8 weeks, there were no significant reduction of the number of S. mutans in comparison with baseline.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.341-347
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• 2007

Streptococcus mutans, one of a major causal agents of dental caries, is component of the dental plaque and produces various organic acids such as lactic acid as the end-product of glycolysis. In this study, we isolated S. mutans from Korean children with caries and also investigated the expression of protein under acid stress. S. mutans was identified at the species level using a 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing comparison method. The primer specificity was tested on eleven S. mutans strains isolated from Korean children with caries. The data showed that eleven strains are S. mutans. At treatment of concentration of 20 mM lactic acid in the mid-log phage, K-7 exhibited the highest maximum culture OD compared with those of other groups. As a consequence, we examined the expression of protein under 20 mM lactic acid stress using S. mutans K-7. The results of 2D gel electrophoresis by image analysis showed that thirteen proteins are up-regulated under the stress. Further study is being focused on amino acid analysis by mass spectrometry in order to analyze those spots.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2005

Dental caries is one of the most common oral diseases in the world. Glucosyltransferase (Gtase) of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) plays an important role in the develo pment of dental caries. For the purpose to develop anti- caries, we examined the effect of metabolites isolated from Streptomyces sp. M-20 on Gtase and the growth of S. mutans. Streptomyces sp. M-20 isolated from Mongolian soil showed 95~96% sequence homology with that of Streptomyces lin- colnensis. The metabolites of Streptomyces sp. M-20 were partially purified by extraction with ethyl acetate, silica gel column chromatography and preparative TLC. Partially purified metabolite, red colored component (MR-20) in ethyl acetate fraction showed potent antibacterial activitiy against S. mutans and inhibitory activity against Gtase purified from S. mutans, while another isolated yellow component (MY-20) showed no activity against S. mutans. The inhibitory activity of MR-20 against Gtase was confirmed by activity staining on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The concentration of MR-20 for 50% inhibition $(IC_{50})$ against Gtase activity was $60{\mu}g/ml$. These results suggest that MR-20 can be developed for antibacterial agent and anticaries.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.93-103
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• 1980

Streptococcus mutans were isolated from dental plaques of carious lesions of 4 patients on mitis-salivarius agar medium. Three patients known to harbor S. mutans in their dental plaques. Identification of the isolated S. mutans was established by colonial morphology on mitis-salivarius agar medium, the fermentation of mannitol and sorbitol, and confirmed by agglutinating reaction with home made anti-S. mutans NCTC 10449 (serotype c) antiserum. Of the isolated S. mutans, one strain (P2-1) showed strong agglutinating reaction with antiserum, another strain (P1-2) showed weak agglutinating reaction. P2-1 strongly adhered to the wall of the test tube containing 5% sucrose broth, while p1-2 weakly colonized on the wall of the test tube. Biotyping of the isolated S. mutans based on the fermentation of mannitol, sorbitol, raffinose and melibiose, and the production of ammonia from L-arginine, and the inhibition of acid production by bacitracin. Biochemical characteristics of P2-1 strain correlated with the recognized biotype c, pl-2 strain resembled biotype d of S. mutans.