Isolation and Characterization of Streptococcus Mutans and Streptococcus Sobrinus from Dental Caries to Determine its Inhibition by Bacteriocins of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Oral health is now recognized equally important in relation to general health. Despite of numerous studies and improvements in dental health, major oral health problems around the world are generally considered to be dental caries. It has been surveyed and concluded that the caries mainly occurs in children below the age group of 7-10 years. There are certain bacteriocins produced by the species of lactic acid bacteria. The bacteriocins like Nisin A and mutacin B-Ny266 are active against a range of organisms, including species of Actinomyces, Bacillus, Clostridium, Corynebacterim, Enterococcus, Gardnerella, Lactococcus, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus. In the present study, the bacteriocin produced by the lyophilized culture of Pediococcus pentosaceus PP34 has been used to determine its anti-microbial activity against the dental caries causing organisms. The caries causing organisms like Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus have been isolated from dental cavities on selective agar media-TYCSB media. The microscopic, cultural, biochemical and molecular characterization of the isolates has been performed to confirm the isolated strains upto species level. The isolates were confirmed as Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. On performing the anti-microbial activity, the bacteriocin produced by Pediococcus pentosaceus PP34 showed inhibitory effect against the isolated strains of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. Therefore, the bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria can be fortified to various food products like chocolates so that the selective food product itself becomes a weapon against dental cavities in humans.