Effect of cigarette smoke exposure on the growth of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis: an in vitro study

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of cigarette smoke on the growth of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis. The standard strains of S. mutans (ATCC 25175) and S. sanguis (ATCC 10556) were cultured on blood agar and incubated for 48 hr in three main environments: atmospheric air, carbon dioxide, and cigarette smoke. Kent gold 1(nicotine: 0.1 mg, tar: 1 mg), Kent lights (nicotine: 0.8 mg, tar: 9 mg) and Bahman (nicotine: 1 mg, tar: 13 mg) were the brands used in the present study. Afterwards, digital photographs of the colonies were taken and the diameter of colonies was measured. Data were analyzed using Post Hoc and General Linear Model statistical tests. Cigarette smoke and carbon dioxide environments significantly increased the growth of S. mutans. However, high nicotine/tar content cigarette smoke (Bahman) had the greatest impact on S. mutans and S. sanguis. The mutans/sanguis ratio, which was 0.71 in atmospheric air, increased to 1.07 in the presence of carbon dioxide. Kent gold 1, Kent lights, and Bahman demonstrated a mutans/sanguis ratio of 1, 0.84, and 0.98 respectively. In conclusion, it seems that the growth of S. sanguis and S. mutans is accelerated in the vicinity of cigarette smoke.