DOI: 10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_21_26 ISSN: 2319-5932

Evaluation of Bacteriophage Therapy on Microorganisms Associated with Dental Caries: An In vitro Study

Meenakshi Chandel, Vinay Kumar Srivastava, Gopal Nath, Alka Shukla
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Abstract

Context:

Conventional treatments for caries lack microbial specificity, often failing to address the root cause. Bacteriophage therapy, which uses viruses that selectively target and lyse the bacteria, has emerged as a promising alternative.

Aims:

To isolate Streptococcus mutans -specific bacteriophages from saliva and other sources, and to evaluate and compare their therapeutic potential against microorganisms associated with dental caries.

Materials and Methods:

A purposive sampling technique was employed, and saliva and dental plaque samples were collected from healthy children aged 6–14 years for bacterial culture. Bacteriophages were isolated from saliva and various water sources. The lytic activity of the isolated phages was assessed by measuring the optical density (OD) of the biofilm mass by spectrophotometry at 24-and 72-h, followed by assessment using Tukey’s post hoc analysis.

Results:

At both 24 and 72 h, a significant reduction in OD was observed in the bacteriophage and chlorhexidine groups compared to the control. At 72 h, the bacteriophage group showed the greatest OD reduction, followed by chlorhexidine and control.

Conclusions:

Bacteriophages exhibit promising antimicrobial properties that are more effective against S. mutans pathogens on long-term contact compared to chlorhexidine groups.

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