The effect of arginine on glycolysis by oral bacteria

Abstract

Arginine and arginine peptides reduce the sugar-associated drop in pH of dental plaque and suspensions of oral bacteria. This slowing of the fall in pH reduces the amount of acid in the local microenvironment of the teeth and is, on balance, likely to benefit dental health. There are two possible explanations as to how arginine affects the pH of dental plaque. It could be that arginine acts simply as a buffer. It could be that arginine acts directly or indirectly on the glycolysis pathway reducing the amount of acid produced. Some combination of these two explanations may also be possible. The experiments reported here show that lactic acid production by bacteria from salivary sediment is reduced by arginine. This supports the hypothesis that arginine acts directly or indirectly on glycolytic processes in oral bacteria and has more than a simple buffering effect on the pH of dental plaque.