Effects of Lactobacillus reuteri PTA 5289 and L. paracasei DSMZ16671 on the Adhesion and Biofilm Formation of Streptococcus mutans

Abstract

Probiotics have decreased the counts of salivary mutans streptococci (MS) in clinical studies. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Lactobacillus reuteri PTA 5289 and L. paracasei DSMZ16671 on the adhesion of a reference strain and a clinical isolate of Streptococcus mutans and on the counts of MS in a biofilm. The adhesion of S. mutans Ingbritt and the clinical isolate S. mutans 2366 to a smooth glass surface and saliva-coated hydroxyapatite (SHA) were studied in the presence of and without the lactobacilli. A three-species biofilm formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite discs was used in the biofilm experiments. The lactobacilli did not affect adhesion to the glass surface but interfered with binding to SHA. No effects of the lactobacilli were detected on the MS levels in the three-species biofilms. The results of the SHA binding experiments best reflected the results of the existing clinical studies.

Bifidobacteria inhibit the growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis but not of Streptococcus mutans in an in vitro biofilm model

“…Systemic effects are also possible , but most likely oral colonization leads to more effective impact . In addition, the effect on the adhesion of oral pathogens might be greater than the effect on the biofilm , and disruption of the existing oral biofilm may be necessary before the administration of a probiotic .…”

“…Paraffin wax‐stimulated whole saliva was collected from several healthy volunteers at least 1 h after eating, drinking, or tooth cleaning. Saliva was collected in sterile polypropylene tubes on ice, pooled, centrifuged, and pasteurized as described earlier . The efficacy of the pasteurization was assessed by plating processed saliva onto blood agar containing 5% sheep blood (Difco).…”

“…The biofilms were prepared as described by Marttinen et al . . Briefly, the stock cultures were plated on agar medium and grown first for 3–5 d. Loopfuls (10 μ l) of plate‐grown bacteria were inoculated into separate tubes each containing 5 ml of FUM each and precultures were incubated for 15 h. Seed cultures were prepared by adding 400‐ μ l aliquots of preculture into 1,600 μ l of FUM (all bacterial species except F. nucleatum ) and 2.5 ml of preculture into 5 ml of FUM ( F. nucleatum ).…”

“…After 18 h of incubation, the biofilm on the top of the HA disc and a sample of the surrounding medium, representative of 18‐h biofilms, were collected as described by Marttinen et al . , and the HA discs to provide 42‐h biofilms were transferred into a new well containing 250 μ l of saliva and 250 μ l of FUM or S‐FUM, as appropriate, and incubated for an additional 24 h, after which the samples (biofilm and surrounding medium) were collected. The samples were serially diluted and cultured on the corresponding agar plates, and the colonies were counted after 2‐3 d ( S. mutans and bifidobacteria) or 7 d ( A. naeslundii, F. nucleatum , and P. gingivalis ) of incubation.…”

Probiotics to counteract biofilm-associated infections: promising and conflicting data

“…61,62 Lactobacilli have also been reported to reduce streptococcal adhesion, 63 not as much on glass surfaces, but in particular on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite. 64 …”