Structural changes in S. epidermidis biofilms after transmission between stainless steel surfaces.

Transmission is a main route for bacterial contamination, involving bacterial detachment from a donor and adhesion to receiver surfaces. This work aimed to compare transmission of an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) producing and a non-EPS producing Staphylococcus epidermidis strain from biofilms on stainless steel. After transmission, donor surfaces remained fully covered with biofilm, indicating transmission through cohesive failure in the biofilm. Counter to the numbers of biofilm bacteria, the donor and receiver biofilm thicknesses did not add up to the pre-transmission donor biofilm thickness, suggesting more compact biofilms after transmission, especially for non-EPS producing staphylococci. Accordingly, staphylococcal density per unit biofilm volume had increased from 0.20 to 0.52 µm-3 for transmission of the non-EPS producing strain under high contact pressure. The EPS producing strain had similar densities before and after transmission (0.17 µm-3). This suggests three phases in biofilm transmission: (1) compression, (2) separation and (3) relaxation of biofilm structure to its pre-transmission density in EPS-rich biofilms.

Biofilm formation on stainless steel and gold wires for bonded retainers in vitro and in vivo and their susceptibility to oral antimicrobials.

OBJECTIVE: Bonded retainers are used in orthodontics to maintain treatment result. Retention wires are prone to biofilm formation and cause gingival recession, bleeding on probing and increased pocket depths near bonded retainers. In this study, we compare in vitro and in vivo biofilm formation on different wires used for bonded retainers and the susceptibility of in vitro biofilms to oral antimicrobials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Orthodontic wires were exposed to saliva, and in vitro biofilm formation was evaluated using plate counting and live/dead staining, together with effects of exposure to toothpaste slurry alone or followed by antimicrobial mouthrinse application. Wires were also placed intra-orally for 72 h in human volunteers and undisturbed biofilm formation was compared by plate counting and live/dead staining, as well as by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis for compositional differences in biofilms. RESULTS: Single-strand wires attracted only slightly less biofilm in vitro than multi-strand wires. Biofilms on stainless steel single-strand wires however, were much more susceptible to antimicrobials from toothpaste slurries and mouthrinses than on single-strand gold wires and biofilms on multi-strand wires. Also, in vivo significantly less biofilm was found on single-strand than on multi-strand wires. Microbial composition of biofilms was more dependent on the volunteer involved than on wire type. CONCLUSIONS: Biofilms on single-strand stainless steel wires attract less biofilm in vitro and are more susceptible to antimicrobials than on multi-strand wires. Also in vivo, single-strand wires attract less biofilm than multi-strand ones. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Use of single-strand wires is preferred over multi-strand wires, not because they attract less biofilm, but because biofilms on single-strand wires are not protected against antimicrobials as in crevices and niches as on multi-strand wires.

In vitro oral biofilm formation on triclosan-coated sutures in the absence and presence of additional antiplaque treatment.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the in vitro plaque inhibitory effect of triclosan-coated polyglactin 910 sutures in the absence and presence of an additional antiplaque agent commonly used after oral surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Triclosan-coated sutures were incubated for 4 hours in freshly collected human saliva and, when appropriate, subsequently treated with an antiplaque rinse containing chlorhexidine-cetyl pyridinium as active components. Sutures without a triclosan-coating served as a control. RESULTS: Triclosan-coated sutures harbored similar amounts of plaque as did uncoated sutures. Exposure to the antiplaque rinse caused significant decreases in viable organisms for uncoated and triclosan-coated sutures. However, after application of the antiplaque rinse, more micro-organisms were found on triclosan-coated than on uncoated sutures. CONCLUSION: Sutures coated with triclosan do not provide a sufficient antimicrobial effect to prevent in vitro colonization by oral bacteria, whereas use in combination with a chlorhexidine-cetyl pyridinium-containing antiplaque rinse appears to be counterproductive.