This gentle strategy helps avoid tooth decay in childhood: research

New treatment strategies may help flush accumulation while preserving oral tissue by targeting the binding between bacteria and yeast that can form sticky plaque, University of Pennsylvania Suggests the discovery of new research led by researchers in.

A combination of a high-carbohydrate diet and inadequate oral hygiene can leave children with early childhood caries (ECC). This is a serious tooth decay that can have a lasting effect on the oral cavity and overall health.

A few years ago, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry discovered that the ECC-causing plaque was composed of both the bacterial species Streptococcus mutans and the fungal Candida albicans. The two form a sticky symbiosis, scientifically known as a biofilm, which makes it extremely toxic and difficult to move from the tooth surface.

Currently, a new study by this group provides a strategy for destroying this biofilm by targeting yeast-bacterial interactions that make ECC plaques very unwieldy. In contrast to ECC’s current treatments, which use antibacterial agents that have off-target effects and can harm healthy tissues, this treatment uses enzymes that are specific to the bindings that exist between microorganisms. To use.

“I thought this could be a new way to tackle the problem of ECC intervening in the synergistic interaction of bacteria and yeast,” said Geelsu Hwang, an assistant professor of pen dentistry and senior author of the study. Published in the journal. mBio. “This provides us with another tool for destroying this toxic biofilm.”

The study is based on findings from a 2017 paper by fans and colleagues, including Hyun (Michelle) Kuu, a pendental medicine, whose molecule is S. mannan on the Candida cell wall. Glycosyltransferase (Gftb), an enzyme secreted by mutans. In addition to facilitating inter-kingdom bonds, Gftb contributes to the stubbornness of dental biofilms by producing an adhesive-like polymer called glucan in the presence of sugar.

Some cases of ECC are treated with drugs that kill microorganisms directly and may reduce the number of pathogens in the mouth, but this does not always effectively break down biofilms and is “good”. Soft tissues in the oral cavity that can have off-target effects as well as microorganisms.

Fans wanted to try another approach that directly targeted the insidious interaction between yeast and bacteria, and chose to target mannan on the Candida cell surface as a point of contact.

Using three different mannan-degrading enzymes, each was applied to a biofilm that grows on the tooth-like surface of human saliva medium and left for 5 minutes. After treatment, they noticed a reduction in the overall amount of biofilm. Using a powerful microscope, they also observed a dramatic reduction in biofilm thickness and the interaction between bacteria and yeast. When exposed to enzymes, the pH of the surrounding medium is higher, indicating an environment that is less acidic and therefore less prone to caries.

They also used a toothpaste-like stressing device to measure how easy it is to destroy biofilms after treatment.

“After the enzymatic treatment, the structure of the biofilm became more fragile,” says Fan. “We found that biofilms were removed more easily.”

To confirm the mechanism of their approach, the mannan-degrading enzyme weakens the bond between yeast and bacteria, the team measured the bond between Candida and Gftb using an atomic force microscope. .. The treatments they found reduced this binding force by a factor of 15.

Finally, they wanted to understand how tolerable these enzymes were when used orally, especially since the group of patients targeted for children.

When the enzyme was applied to cultured human gingival cells, no adverse effects were seen when using the concentrated form of the enzyme. In addition, they observed that this treatment did not kill bacteria or yeast. This indicates that even if the microorganism develops a mutation that gives it resistance to other types of treatment, it may still work.

Researchers want to see activity in a shorter amount of time, such as the recommended 2 minutes for brushing teeth, but have reduced the application time to 5 minutes. Fans say they may consider non-alcoholic-based mouthwashes with these enzymes added that children can use as a precautionary measure for ECC.

Researchers hope to continue pursuing this possibility with additional follow-up, including testing these enzymes in animal models. With more success, they aim to add another tool to combat ECC’s public health threats.

Follow more stories above Facebook And twitter

This story was published from a news agency feed without changing the text. Only the heading has changed.