The effect of xylitol and erythritol in the presence of sucrose on single and mixed-species biofilm of early colonizer and cariogenic streptococci

Abstract

Dental caries is caused by multiple factors. An essential factor is sucrose. Dental caries is the result of an imbalance between early colonizers and cariogenic bacteria in biofilms. Sugar alcohols, xylitol and erythritol, become more popular because they do not cause cavities and are also effective at preventing caries. In everyday life, however, sucrose consumption is unavoidable. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of xylitol and erythritol in the presence of sucrose on single- and mixed-species biofilm of early colonizers and cariogenic bacteria. Bacteria were cultured in broth containing 1% sucrose compared to broth containing xylitol or erythritol with and without sucrose for 36 h. Acid production was then measured using pH meter, biofilm formation using biofilm mass measurement, and colony count. Our result showed that even in the presence of sucrose, xylitol and erythritol slowed pH reduction in early colonizers and cariogenic bacteria during the first 2 h. Moreover, the high concentrations significantly reduced the biofilm mass of S. gordonii and the three-mixed species biofilm. The biofilm mass of S. mutans single- and mixed-species was also reduced. Furthermore, except for S. gordonii, the number of viable cells in the biofilm of both groups of bacteria grown in sugar alcohols with sucrose was greater than that of sucrose alone. In conclusion, sugar alcohols with sucrose influenced the pH, biofilm mass, and cell numbers of early colonizers and cariogenic bacteria.