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Updated: May 18, 2026

Concurrent Quantification of Cellular and Extracellular Components of Biofilms
Published on: December 10, 2013
Effect of polymer degree of conversion on Streptococcus mutans biofilms
Alison M Kraigsley1, Kathy Tang, Katrice A Lippa
1Polymers Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8543, USA.
Abstract:
Biofilm-material interactions are increasingly recognized as critical to success of some materials/devices and failure of others. We use a model system of dental monomers, salivary pellicles, and oral biofilms to demonstrate for the first time that degree of conversion of cross-linked dimethacrylate polymers alters biofilm metabolic activity. This response is due primarily to leachable release (not surface chemistry) and is complex, with no changes in some biofilm measurements (i.e., biomass), and time- and leachable-dependent responses in others (i.e., metabolic activity). These results highlight the need for considering biofilm-material interactions when designing/evaluating new materials.
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