Titanium dioxide nanotubes added to glass ionomer cements affect S. mutans viability and mechanisms of virulence

This in vitro study evaluated the impact of TiO2 nanotubes (n-TiO2) incorporated into glass ionomer cement (GIC) on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) characteristics at cellular and molecular levels. n-TiO2, synthesized by alkaline method (20 nm size), was added to Ketac Molar EasyMix® 0%, 3%, 5%, 7% weight. S. strains were cultured GIC disks with addition or not n-TiO2 for 1, 3, 7 days following parameters assessed: inhibition halo (mm) (n=3/group); cell viability (live/dead) (n=5/group); morphology (SEM) gene expression real-time PCR (vicR, covR, gtfB, gtfC, gtfD) (n=6/group). The data analyzed Kruskal-Wallis test, repeated-measures ANOVA two-way ANOVA, Tukey’s Dunn’s post-hoc tests (?=0.05). agar diffusion test showed a higher antibacterial property 5% compared 3% (p<0.05) no effect time (1, days). number significantly affected all groups, while mostly which also organization. Real-time demonstrated that reduced covR when (p<0.05), time, except vicR expression. Within-group between-group analyses revealed did affect mRNA levels gtfD (p>0.05). Incorporation potentially key genes bacterial survival growth, improving anticariogenic properties GIC.