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In the present study supragingival dental calculus of unknown age was collected from the mandibular incisors of three individuals and solubilized by EDTA. The extracts were examined by gel filtration, ionic exchange chromatography and amino acid analysis. A protein component with similar characteristics to the main protein component of the acquired enamel pellicle was a regular constituent of the calculus extracts from the three subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study showed that the growth of Streptococcus mutans strain GS5 was inhibited by xylitol, and this indicates together with previous reports that this is a common phenomenon in this species. Sorbitol was found to increase the growth of S. mutans strains OMZ 176 and GS5 slightly compared with cultures with no external carbon source. Addition, of small amounts of xylitol to the sorbitol cultures gave a growth below that of cultures with no extra carbon. Dental plaque challenged with sorbitol gave a small pH drop whereas xylitol caused a negligible decrease in pH. Sorbitol-xylitol challenges gave less acid production than sorbitol challenges alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipoteichoic acid extracted from cells of S. mutans strain BHT exhibited a high affinity for hydroxyapatite. Phosphate ions, fluoride ions and to a lesser extent human saliva inhibited or reversed this adsorption. Extracellular lipoteichoic acid preparations obtained from the supernatant of cultures of the same bacteria exhibited similar properties. It is suggested that lipoteichoic acids could play a significant role in the colonization of teeth by Gram-positive bacteria and thereby contribute to the formation and pathogenicity of dental plaque. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zeta potential of human enamel is of physiological importance for interactions between enamel surfaces and the surrounding aqueous medium of saliva. The zeta potentials of both enamel and hydroxyapatite (HA) have been examined previously by various techniques. In this study, we examined the zeta potential of human enamel and HA using the Coulter® DELSA 440, which, by a laser, makes independent Doppler shift measurements of moving particles in an electric field at 4 different angles, providing advantages over previous techniques. The enamel and HA particles were suspended directly in different phosphate buffers, or first incubated for 2 hrs in parotid (PS) or whole saliva (HWS) and then suspended in the same buffers. The enamel and HA particles exhibited an overall net surface potential of -15 to -30 mV, depending on the buffer content. Incubation in PS and HWS gave less negative potentials of -8 to -14 mV. In our previous studies, the salivary micelle-like structures (SMSs), seen in TEM of parotid saliva, were observed to have a zeta potential of -9 mV (Rykke et al., 1996). The zeta potential determinations in this study support the concept of an adsorption of mostly SMSs to the enamel surfaces, with a change of the zeta potential of the enamel and HA toward that of the SMSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the inhibition of dental plaque by chlorhexidine. An in vitro investigation of the interaction of chlorhexidine with carboxyl, sulfate, and phosphate groups is presented, noting the factors that could interfere with the process. A comparison is made with the properties of cetylpyridine in the same interactive relationships. Also examined are the chlorhexidine-binding properties of extracts from the proteins found within saliva originating from the major salivary glands at various hydrogen-ion concentrations (pH levels).

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Periodontology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Periodontology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Periodontology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of professional mechanical toothcleansing on plaque, gingivitis, and dental caries in young children with a high caries experience. Seventy-eight children, 7 years of age, were stratified according to presence or absence of smooth surface lesions on the permanent teeth and subsequently randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group was given a thorough mechanical toothcleansing every 2 weeks. After 12 months a statistically significant difference in plaque accumulation and a minor difference in level of gingival inflammation could be demonstrated between the two groups. The incidence of dental caries in permanent teeth present at both examinations was 70% lower in the experimental group. The effect on permanent teeth erupting during the study and on primary teeth present at both examinations was not statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The affinity of fluoride for hydroxylapatite powder with or without coatings of salivary proteins or salivary proteins and dextrans was investigated. Solution of sodium fluoride was added to uncoated and coated samples of hydroxylapatite. Fluoride ion concentration of supernatants above the coated and uncoated samples was measured and used to evaluate the effect of the coatings. The coatings seemed to affect the fluoride-hydroxylapatite interaction only to a very small degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has previously been shown that triclosan reduces the clinical skin reactions caused by sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) in an irritant patch test reaction (IPR) model. Furthermore, triclosan reduces the inflammatory reactions on skin after subcutaneous injection of histamine. The aim of the present study was to examine whether triclosan reduces the clinical symptoms on skin after exposure to nickel in an allergic patch test reaction (APR) model. 1% nickel sulphate was used for APR in 10 nickel-allergic females. The results showed that application of triclosan on skin reduced the APR symptoms from nickel in sensitized patients significantly (p<0.05) compared to the saline and alcohol solutions. It is suggested that inflammatory mediators produced by the sensitized lymphocytes are inhibited by triclosan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]