The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Removal of dental biofilms with an ultrasonically-activated water stream

Removal of dental biofilms with an ultrasonically-activated water stream
Removal of dental biofilms with an ultrasonically-activated water stream
Acidogenic bacteria within dental plaque biofilms are the causative agents of caries. Consequently, maintenance of a healthy oral environment with efficient biofilm removal strategies is important to limit caries, as well as halt progression to gingivitis and periodontitis. Recently, a novel cleaning device has been described using an ultrasonically activated stream (UAS) to generate a cavitation cloud of bubbles in a freely flowing water stream that has demonstrated the capacity to be effective at biofilm removal. In this study, UAS was evaluated for its ability to remove biofilms of the cariogenic pathogen Streptococcus mutans UA159, as well as Actinomyces naeslundii ATCC 12104 and Streptococcus oralis ATCC 9811, grown on machine-etched glass slides to generate a reproducible complex surface and artificial teeth from a typodont training model. Biofilm removal was assessed both visually and microscopically using high-speed videography, confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Analysis by CSLM demonstrated a statistically significant 99.9% removal of S. mutans biofilms exposed to the UAS for 10 s, relative to both untreated control biofilms and biofilms exposed to the water stream alone without ultrasonic activation (P < 0.05). The water stream alone showed no statistically significant difference in removal compared with the untreated control (P = 0.24). High-speed videography demonstrated a rapid rate (151 mm2 in 1 s) of biofilm removal. The UAS was also highly effective at S. mutans, A. naeslundii, and S. oralis biofilm removal from machine-etched glass and S. mutans from typodont surfaces with complex topography. Consequently, UAS technology represents a potentially effective method for biofilm removal and improved oral hygiene.
bacteria, dental hygiene, caries, infection control, streptococcus mutans, microbiology
0022-0345
1303-1309
Howlin, R.P.
832d22df-7fe4-4c6e-9bb8-05afc6af21bc
Fabbri, S.
de1ffd67-7127-44d1-bfd6-017001931a91
Offin, D.G.
b50fb831-2455-4ec3-a599-71ae4e7f235b
Symonds, N.
cc8585b0-89f5-471c-84fd-969176516829
Kiang, K.S.
fdb609c6-75aa-4893-85c8-8e50edfda7fe
Knee, R.J.
5ee9fe42-cf55-4fff-9baf-e55ad5d5f0a7
Yoganantham, D.C.
08703361-6716-4ebc-83dc-c5ce507801d8
Webb, J.S.
ec0a5c4e-86cc-4ae9-b390-7298f5d65f8d
Birkin, P.R.
ba466560-f27c-418d-89fc-67ea4f81d0a7
Leighton, T.G.
3e5262ce-1d7d-42eb-b013-fcc5c286bbae
Stoodley, P.
08614665-92a9-4466-806e-20c6daeb483f
Howlin, R.P.
832d22df-7fe4-4c6e-9bb8-05afc6af21bc
Fabbri, S.
de1ffd67-7127-44d1-bfd6-017001931a91
Offin, D.G.
b50fb831-2455-4ec3-a599-71ae4e7f235b
Symonds, N.
cc8585b0-89f5-471c-84fd-969176516829
Kiang, K.S.
fdb609c6-75aa-4893-85c8-8e50edfda7fe
Knee, R.J.
5ee9fe42-cf55-4fff-9baf-e55ad5d5f0a7
Yoganantham, D.C.
08703361-6716-4ebc-83dc-c5ce507801d8
Webb, J.S.
ec0a5c4e-86cc-4ae9-b390-7298f5d65f8d
Birkin, P.R.
ba466560-f27c-418d-89fc-67ea4f81d0a7
Leighton, T.G.
3e5262ce-1d7d-42eb-b013-fcc5c286bbae
Stoodley, P.
08614665-92a9-4466-806e-20c6daeb483f

Howlin, R.P., Fabbri, S., Offin, D.G., Symonds, N., Kiang, K.S., Knee, R.J., Yoganantham, D.C., Webb, J.S., Birkin, P.R., Leighton, T.G. and Stoodley, P. (2015) Removal of dental biofilms with an ultrasonically-activated water stream. Journal of Dental Research, 94 (9), 1303-1309. (doi:10.1177/0022034515589284). (PMID:26056055)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Acidogenic bacteria within dental plaque biofilms are the causative agents of caries. Consequently, maintenance of a healthy oral environment with efficient biofilm removal strategies is important to limit caries, as well as halt progression to gingivitis and periodontitis. Recently, a novel cleaning device has been described using an ultrasonically activated stream (UAS) to generate a cavitation cloud of bubbles in a freely flowing water stream that has demonstrated the capacity to be effective at biofilm removal. In this study, UAS was evaluated for its ability to remove biofilms of the cariogenic pathogen Streptococcus mutans UA159, as well as Actinomyces naeslundii ATCC 12104 and Streptococcus oralis ATCC 9811, grown on machine-etched glass slides to generate a reproducible complex surface and artificial teeth from a typodont training model. Biofilm removal was assessed both visually and microscopically using high-speed videography, confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Analysis by CSLM demonstrated a statistically significant 99.9% removal of S. mutans biofilms exposed to the UAS for 10 s, relative to both untreated control biofilms and biofilms exposed to the water stream alone without ultrasonic activation (P < 0.05). The water stream alone showed no statistically significant difference in removal compared with the untreated control (P = 0.24). High-speed videography demonstrated a rapid rate (151 mm2 in 1 s) of biofilm removal. The UAS was also highly effective at S. mutans, A. naeslundii, and S. oralis biofilm removal from machine-etched glass and S. mutans from typodont surfaces with complex topography. Consequently, UAS technology represents a potentially effective method for biofilm removal and improved oral hygiene.

Text
Accepted-manuscript.docx - Accepted Manuscript
Download (55kB)

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 21 May 2015
e-pub ahead of print date: 8 June 2015
Published date: September 2015
Keywords: bacteria, dental hygiene, caries, infection control, streptococcus mutans, microbiology
Organisations: Chemistry, Inst. Sound & Vibration Research, Electronics & Computer Science, Institute for Life Sciences, NIHR Southampton Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, Engineering Science Unit, Centre for Biological Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 377560
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/377560
ISSN: 0022-0345
PURE UUID: 7550082e-9c12-4dd1-961a-2aadfd55fd9e
ORCID for K.S. Kiang: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7326-909X
ORCID for J.S. Webb: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2068-8589
ORCID for P.R. Birkin: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6656-4074
ORCID for T.G. Leighton: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1649-8750
ORCID for P. Stoodley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6069-273X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 29 May 2015 15:43
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:34

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: R.P. Howlin
Author: S. Fabbri
Author: D.G. Offin
Author: N. Symonds
Author: K.S. Kiang ORCID iD
Author: R.J. Knee
Author: D.C. Yoganantham
Author: J.S. Webb ORCID iD
Author: P.R. Birkin ORCID iD
Author: T.G. Leighton ORCID iD
Author: P. Stoodley ORCID iD

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×