IADR Abstract Archives

Effects of Dental Materials with Nicotine on Streptococcus Mutans Growth

Objectives: Triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) is a methacrylate monomer compound which produces toxic triethylene glycol (TEG) and methacrylic acid (MA) upon hydrolysis resulting in approximately 1.25 mM concentrations in crevicular fluid. Research has shown that microleakage from dental restorations made from these materials contribute to secondary caries. Nicotine, from smoking, weakens salivary function and encourages the growth of Streptococcus mutans, which produces enzymes and organic acids and eventually causes dental caries.

Methods: In this study, we examined the effects of TEGDMA, TEG or MA with and without nicotine on S. mutans growth (absorbance and viable bacterial numbers) at different concentrations. The same procedure was repeated for both Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus sanguis.

Results: We observed that TEGDMA, TEG and MA significantly inhibit (p<0.05) the growth of S. mutans to various degrees, TEGDMA up to 85%, TEG up to 81% and MA up to 91%. However, by adding TEGDMA, TEG or MA together with nicotine, S. mutans, but not S. gordonii and S. sanguis, growth is enhanced compared to the samples incubated without TEGDMA, TEG and MA.

Conclusion: Our data indicate that nicotine protects S. mutans from the growth inhibitory effect of TEGDMA, TEG and MA. Hence, we propose that smoking influences secondary caries by affecting dental materials specifically TEGDMA and S. mutans.


AADR/CADR Annual Meeting
2010 AADR/CADR Annual Meeting (Washington, D.C.)
Washington, D.C.
2010
1423
Microbiology / Immunology and Infection Control
  • Shih, Han  ( Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA )
  • Gregson, Karen S.  ( Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA )
  • Gregory, Richard L.  ( Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA )
    • Poster Session
    Streptococci
    03/06/2010