Amine Fluoride and Biofilms

The amine fluoride (AmF) N -octadecyltrimethylendiamineN,N,N -tris(2-ethanol)-dihydrofluoride is a cationic antimicrobial which can have beneficial effects on plaque formation. Here, we determine changes in pellicle and bacterial cell surface properties of the strains Actinomyces naeslundii HM1, Streptococcus mutans NS, S. mutans ATCC 700610, S. sobrinus HG1025 and S. oralis HM1 upon adsorption of this AmF and accompanying effects on bacterial adhesion and biofilm growth. In vitro pellicles had a zeta potential of –12 mV that became less negative upon adsorption of AmF. The chemical functionalities in which carbon and oxygen were involved changed after AmF adsorption and AmF-treated pellicles had a greater surface roughness than untreated pellicles. Water contact angles in vitro decreased from 56 to 45° upon AmF treatment, which corresponded with water contact angles (44°) measured intraorally on the front incisors of volunteers immediately after using an AmF-containing Received: February 16, 2007 Accepted after revision: September 21, 2007 Published online: November 27, 2007 H.C. van der Mei Department of Biomedical Engineering (Sector F) University Medical Center Groningen and University of Groningen, PO Box 196 NL–9700 AD Groningen (The Netherlands) Tel. +31 50 3633 140, Fax +31 50 3633 159, E-Mail [email protected] © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel 0008–6568/08/0421–0019$24.50/0 Accessible online at: www.karger.com/cre