The Study Of The Effects Of Erythritol On The Growth And Acid Production Of Streptococcus Mutans

Purposes:The purpose of the study was to provide the experimental evidences for preventing caries with erythritol,including examing the inhibitory effect of erythritol on growth and acid production of Streptococcus mutans, observing the morphological alteration of them, studying the acid production metabolism of plaque glycolysis model in vitro,and comparing the results with that in the condition of sucrose and xylitol.Methods:1. The OD and pH value of the mediums of S.mutans ATCC25175 were measured respectively under the condition of sucrose,xylitol and erythritol,using the instruments of Microplate Reader and pH meter.2. Enzyme activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in bacterial solution were detected to determine the function of cell wall under respective condition of sucrose,xylitol and erythritol. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to investigate the change of Streptococcus mutans'cell wall.3. The pH value of plaque glycolysis model in vitro was measured respectively under the condition of sucrose,xylitol and erythritol.Result:1. The data of OD were lower in 8%,12%,16% erythritol culture medium than in sucrose and xylitol culture medium at the same concentration, while the data of pH were higher in 8%,12%,16% erythritol culture medium than in sucrose and xylitol culture medium at the same concentration. It indicated that at high concentration, the growth and acid production of Streptococcus mutans were lower in erythritol culture medium than in sucrose and xylitol culture medium at the same concentration.2. Enzyme activities of LDH in erythritol culture medium was not obviously higer than in sucrose and xylitol culture medium. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation showed the integrity of cell wall was not destroyed.3. The pH value of glycolysis buffer medium treated by erythritol was higher than that treated by sucrose, the lacticacid production of glycolysis buffer medium treated by erythritol was less than that treated by sucrose,and they both had statistic significance(P<0.05).But it had no statistic significance between the erythritol group and the xylitol group(P>0.05).Conclusion:The results indicate that erythritol can inhibit the growth and acid production metabolism of Streptococcus mutans and the dental plaque's ability of producing acid in vitro.To study the mechanism of it, we found that erythritol didn't decompose the cell wall. So erythritol can be used as a caries-preventing substance,but further researches will be done to define the mechanism of it.