Sargassum polycystum and Turbinaria conoides Seaweed-based Novel Denture Cleanser: An In Vitro Study

The study ventures into evaluating the antifungal and antibacterial efficacy of commercially available denture cleanser with Sargassum polycystum, Turbinaria conoides seaweeds, and the combination of seaweeds.

Poly(methyl methacrylate) disks measuring 10 × 2 mm were fabricated. The samples are divided into four groups of 21 samples each. The denture base was coated with Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans individually. Group I was treated with Fittydent, group II (S. polycystum and T. conoides seaweeds combination), group III (S. polycystum), and group IV (T. conoides). The colony-formation units present on the surface of the denture were evaluated before and after treatment with different denture cleansers using the serial dilution method. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and post hoc Bonferroni analysis.

At 10^-5 dilution, T. conoides (group IV) was statistically significant in reducing both C. albicans and S. mutans. At 10^-10 dilution, T. conoides (group IV) and S. polycystum and T. conoides combination (group II) had high antibacterial efficacy and were statistically significant. Fittydent (group I) had higher antifungal efficacy and was statistically significant in comparison to S. polycystum (group III) alone. At 10^-10 dilution, the T. conoides (group IV), S. polycystum, and T. conoides combination (group II) showed no evidence of a significant difference in comparison to Fittydent (group I). Fittydent had higher antibacterial efficacy and was statistically significant in comparison to S. polycystum (group III) alone.

Sargassum polycystum and T. conoides combination and T. conoides were found to have higher antibacterial efficacy in comparison to commercially available denture cleanser and also were found to have equal antifungal efficacy in comparison to commercially available denture cleanser.