Abstract
We aimed to create a slippery liquid-infused enamel surface with antibiofouling property to prevent dental biofilm/plaque formation. First, a micro/nanoporous enamel surface was obtained by 37% phosphoric acid etching. The surface was then functionalized by hydrophobic low-surface energy heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetra- hydrodecyltrichlorosilane. Subsequent infusion of fluorocarbon lubricants (Fluorinert FC-70) into the polyfluoroalkyl-silanized rough surface resulted in an enamel surface with slippery liquid-infused porous surface (SLIPS). The results of water contact angle measurement, diffuse-reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscope confirmed that the SLIPS was successfully constructed on the enamel surface. The antibiofouling property of the SLIPS was evaluated by the adsorption of salivary protein of mucin and Streptococcus mutans in vitro, as well as dental biofilm formation using a rabbit model in vivo. The results showed that the SLIPS on the enamel surface significantly inhibited mucin adhesion and S. mutans biofilm formation in vitro, and inhibited dental plaque formation in vivo.
Highlights
We aimed to create a slippery liquid-infused enamel surface with antibiofouling property to prevent dental biofilm/plaque formation
The microbial biofilm is defined as a community of microbial cells attached to surfaces in natural and anthropogenic environments; such cells are embedded in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substance[1]
For the samples of lubricant FC-70 directly adsorbed to the acid-etched enamel surface (FC-70-adsorbed surface), the surface morphology was similar to the acid-etched enamel surface; average roughness values decreased to Ra = 101 nm, which may be caused by FC-70 trapped in the valley (Fig. 1b)
Summary
We aimed to create a slippery liquid-infused enamel surface with antibiofouling property to prevent dental biofilm/plaque formation. The antibiofouling property of the SLIPS was evaluated by the adsorption of salivary protein of mucin and Streptococcus mutans in vitro, as well as dental biofilm formation using a rabbit model in vivo. The results showed that the SLIPS on the enamel surface significantly inhibited mucin adhesion and S. mutans biofilm formation in vitro, and inhibited dental plaque formation in vivo. To prevent dental biofilm formation, scientists should focus on inhibiting bacterial adhesion and salivary protein adsorption on the dental surface. SLIPS on an enamel surface has not been reconstructed nor has its effect on inhibiting dental biofilm formation been evaluated. In the present study, we aimed to create a slippery liquid-infused enamel surface and evaluate its antibiofouling property
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