Novel Approaches to the Control of Oral Microbial Biofilms

Figure 1

S. mutans is well recognized as the main cariogenic bacterium in the oral biofilm. It can metabolize carbohydrates to synthesize EPS as the scaffold of biofilm, produce acid accumulating at the biofilm/enamel interface to demineralize tooth hard tissue, and ultimately cause visible dental decay. Antimicrobial agents inhibit the aforementioned cariogenic process of S. mutans and may have the translational potential in the control of dental caries.