In Vitro effect of low-level laser therapy on typical oral microbial biofilms

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of specific parameters of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on biofilms formed by Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans or an association of both species. Single and dual-species biofilms - SSB and DSB - were exposed to laser doses of 5, 10 or 20 J/cm2 from a near infrared InGaAsP diode laser prototype (LASERTable; 780 ± 3 nm, 0.04 W). After irradiation, the analysis of biobilm viability (MTT assay), biofilm growth (cfu/mL) and cell morphology (SEM) showed that LLLT reduced cell viability as well as the growth of biofilms. The response of S. mutans (SSB) to irradiation was similar for all laser doses and the biofilm growth was dose dependent. However, when associated with C. albicans (DSB), S. mutans was resistant to LLLT. For C. albicans, the association with S. mutans (DSB) caused a significant decrease in biofilm growth in a dose-dependent fashion. The morphology of the microorganisms in the SSB was not altered by LLLT, while the association of microbial species (DSB) promoted a reduction in the formation of C. albicans hyphae. LLLT had an inhibitory effect on the microorganisms, and this capacity can be altered according to the interactions between different microbial species.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito de parâmetros específicos de irradiação com laser de baixa intensidade sobre biofilmes formados por Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), Candida albicans (C. albicans) ou associação de ambas as espécies. Biofilmes isolados ou associados destes microrganismos foram irradiados com um dispositivo laser infra-vermelho próximo de diodos InGaAsP (LaserTABLE 780 ±3 nm, 0,04W), utilizando-se para isto o dispositivo LASERTable. Quinze horas após a irradiação, foi demonstrado, por meio da avaliação da viabilidade celular (Teste de MTT), da morfologia das células (MEV) e do crescimento do biofilme (UFC/mL), que esta terapia foi capaz de reduzir o metabolismo celular, número de microrganismos presentes no biofilme, bem como seu crescimento no local. Quanto à viabilidade celular, a resposta à irradiação do biofilme de S. mutans (SSB) foi semelhante para todas as doses de energia, sendo que o crescimento do biofilme foi dose dependente. Porém, quando associado à C. albicans, este microrganismo apresentou resistência à fototerapia. Já a C. albicans associada ao S. mutans apresentou redução de crescimento significativa, sendo este resultado também foi dose dependente. A morfologia dos microrganismos não foi alterada pelas irradiações realizadas quando em biofilmes isolados. A associação entre os microrganismos promoveu redução na formação de hifas pela C. albicans. A laserterapia de baixa intensidade apresentou efeito inibitório sobre microrganismos, sendo que esta capacidade pode ser alterada de acordo com a interação entre diferentes microrganismos.

Susceptibility of planktonic cultures of Streptococcus mutans to photodynamic therapy with a light-emitting diode

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy with erythrosine and rose bengal using a light-emitting diode (LED) on planktonic cultures of S. mutans. Ten S. mutans strains, including nine clinical strains and one reference strain (ATCC 35688), were used. Suspensions containing 10(6) cells/mL were prepared for each strain and were tested under different experimental conditions: a) LED irradiation in the presence of rose bengal as a photosensitizer (RB+L+); b) LED irradiation in the presence of erythrosine as a photosensitizer (E+L+); c) LED irradiation only (P-L+); d) treatment with rose bengal only (RB+L-); e) treatment with erythrosine only (E+L-); and f) no LED irradiation or photosensitizer treatment, which served as a control group (P-L-). After treatment, the strains were seeded onto BHI agar for determination of the number of colony-forming units (CFU/mL). The results were submitted to analysis of variance and the Tukey test (p < 0.05). The number of CFU/mL was significantly lower in the groups submitted to photodynamic therapy (RB+L+ and E+L+) compared to control (P-L-), with a reduction of 6.86 log10 in the RB+L+ group and of 5.16 log10 in the E+L+ group. Photodynamic therapy with rose bengal and erythrosine exerted an antimicrobial effect on all S. mutans strains studied.

Oral streptococci growth on aging and non-aging esthetic restorations after radiotherapy

The aim of this study was to examine Streptococcus mutans biofilm growth on both aged and non-aged restorative dental resins, which were submitted to therapeutic irradiation. Sixty-four disks of an esthetic restorative material (Filtek Supreme) were divided into 2 groups: aged group (AG) and a non-aged group (NAG). Each group was subdivided into 4 subgroups: non-irradiated and irradiated with 10Gy, 35Gy, and 70Gy. The biofilms were produced by Streptococcus mutans UA159 growing on both AG and NAG surfaces. The colony-forming units per mL (CFU/mL) were evaluated by the ANOVA and the Tukey LSD tests (α=0.05). AG presented smaller amounts of CFU/mL than the NAG before irradiation and after 10Gy of irradiation (p<0.05). AG irradiated with 35 and 70Gy showed increased amount of bacterial biofilm when compared to non-irradiated and 10Gy-irradiated disks (p<0.05). The exposure to ionizing radiation at therapeutic doses promoted changes in bacterial adherence of aged dental restorative material.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a formação do biofilme de Streptococcus mutans crescido em resina restauradora envelhecida e não-envelhecida, submetidas à radiação terapêutica. Sessenta e quatro discos do material restaurador Filtek Supreme foram divididos em 2 grupos: grupo envelhecido (AG) e grupo não-envelhecido (NAG) e cada grupo foi dividido em 4 sub-grupos: não-irradiado e irradiado com 10Gy, 35Gy e 70Gy. O biofilme de S. mutans UA159 foi produzido na superfície de ambos os discos AG e NAG. As unidades formadoras de colônia/mL (UFC/mL) foram avaliadas por ANOVA e teste de Tukey (α=0,05). O grupo AG demonstrou menores quantidades de UFC/mL que o grupo NAG antes da radiação e após a radiação de 10Gy (p<0,05). Os sub-grupos AG irradiados com 35 e 70Gy demonstraram aumento na quantidade de biofilme quando comparado aos não irradiados e irradiados com 10Gy (p<0,05). A exposição à radiação ionizante nas doses terapêuticas promoveu mudanças na aderência bacteriana no material restaurador.