Abstract: Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is the main etiological bacteria present in the oral cavity that\nleads to dental caries. All of the S. mutans in the oral cavity form biofilms that adhere to the surfaces of\nteeth. Dental caries are infections facilitated by the development of biofilm. An esterified derivative\nof epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin-3-gallate-stearate (EGCG-S), was used in this\nstudy to assess its ability to inhibit the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans. The effect of\nEGCG-S on bacterial growth was evaluated with colony forming units (CFU) and log reduction;\nbiofilm formation was qualitatively determined by Congo red assay, and quantitatively determined\nby crystal violet assay, fluorescence-based LIVE/DEAD assays to study the cell viability, and scanning\nelectron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the morphological changes. The results indicated\nthat EGCG-S was able to completely inhibit growth and biofilm formation at concentrations of\n250 ... mL. Its effectiveness was also compared with a commonly prescribed mouthwash in the\nUnited States, chlorhexidine gluconate. EGCG-S was shown to be equally effective in reducing\nS. mutans growth as chlorhexidine gluconate. In conclusion, EGCG-S is potentially an anticariogenic\nagent by reducing bacterial presence in the oral cavity.
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