Association between the biofilm formation of streptococcus mutans, dental caries experience, and resistance to antibiotics in adult patients

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to consider the potential association between the formation of bucall mucusa streptococcus biofilms and a high DMFT index, as well as the occurrence of antibiotic resistance among adult patients in Sana'a, Yemen.

Study design: A total of 100; 34-85 year old. Clinical examinations of patients were performed to estimate dental caries experience with the Silness-Loe index, as well as bucall mucusa swabs were collected to assess biofilm production by the phenotypic method, i.e., tissue culture palate methods (TCPM). Finally, the antibiogram susceptibility pattern of isolated S. mutans was done by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method for L-Lactam antibiotics (as ampicillin and penicillin) and non-L-Lactam antibiotics (clindamycin, erythromycin, lincomycin, and vancomycin).

Results: When isolated S. mutans were exposed to biofilm detection by the TCP method, 1 (1.2%) showed strong biofilm formation capacity, 71 (86.6%) showed moderate biofilm formation capacity, and 10 (12.2%) showed non/weak formation capacity of biofilm. There was an escalation in the rate of formation of S. mutans biofilms with an increased degree of caries index. The S. mutans biofilms positively showed a higher rate of resistance than non/weak biofilm formation, e.g., ampicillin (91.1% versus 8.9%, p <0x7E> 0.0001), tetracycline  (87.8% versus 12.2%, p <0x7E> 0.0001), and co-trimoxazole (90%% versus 10%, p <0x7E> 0.0001), etc.

Conclusion: The present study proved that S. mutans is still the major bacteria isolated from the oral cavity, but few persons might not have a significant number of S. mutans in the oral cavity. The S. mutans biofilm producers were more able to cause dental caries compared to the S. mutans biofilm non-producers. Drug-resistant factor in the S. mutans isolates was found to be associated with S. mutans biofilm formation.