Factors Influencing the Competition between Streptococcus oligofermentans and Streptococcus mutans in Dual-Species Biofilms

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that Streptococcus oligofermentans inhibits the growth of cariogenic Streptococcus mutans in biofilms in vitro and is considered a probiotic candidate for caries prevention. This study aimed to examine the effects of various environmental factors on the competition between S. oligofermentans and S. mutans in a dual-species biofilm model. Single or dual S. oligofermentans and S. mutans biofilms were grown in a 96-well active attachment model for 48 h. Several growth conditions were examined in the model, namely: S. oligofermentans was inoculated 24 h before S. mutans or vice versa; the growth medium was supplemented with 0.2% sucrose or 0.4% glucose; biofilms were grown under a constantly neutral pH or pH-cycling condition, which included 8 h of neutral pH and 16 h of pH 5.5. The 48-h biofilms were examined for viable cell counts and lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide production ability. When S. oligofermentans was inoculated first, it clearly inhibited the growth of S. mutans and reduced the biofilm lactic acid production by up to 8-fold through hydrogen peroxide production, independently of sugar supply and pH conditions. When S. mutans was inoculated first, the level of inhibition by S. oligofermentans varied depending on the sugar supply and pH conditions. Thus, the inhibition efficacy of S. oligofermentans against S. mutans in dual-species biofilms is influenced by environmental factors. This study provides practical information on how to maximize the efficacy of S. oligofermentans.