Optimum Treatment Parameters for Photodynamic Antimicrobial Chemotherapy on <italic>Streptococcus mutans</italic> Biofilms

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Photochemotherapy using a combination of erythrosine and standard halogen dental curing lights on the viability of Streptococcus mutans in the biofilm phase. To investigate the optimum treatment parameters, the researchers controlled the concentration of erythrosine, light irradiation time and the treatment time of erythrosine. The higher concentration of erythrosine (0, 10, 20, 40, 80 M) in the presence of light irradiation created greater effects in reducing the viability of S. mutans. The results showed a statistically significant difference among the antimicrobial effects in 20, 40, 80 M erythrosine. The higher irradiation time of light (0, 5, 15, 30, 60, 75s) in the presence of erythrosine showed greater effects in reducing the viability of S. mutans. There was statistically significant difference in 30, 60, 75 seconds. The higher treatment time of erythrosine (0, 1, 2.5, 5min) in the presence of erythrosine created greater effects on reduction of S. mutans viability. Statistically significant differences were found between 2.5 and 5 minutes of erythrosine treatment time. The results of this study showed that the photochemotherapy on S. mutans using erythrosine and the halogen dental curing lights conventionally used in dental clinics is effective in the condition of 20-40 M erythrosine concentration, irradiation time over 30 seconds, and erythrosine treatment time over 2.5 minutes.