Electrolyzed Saline Targets Biofilm Periodontal Pathogens In Vitro.

Area of Science:

• Oral microbiology
• Periodontal disease research
• Antimicrobial therapies

Background:

• Periodontal diseases are often managed with antimicrobial mouthrinses that non-selectively target oral microbes.
• This non-specific action disrupts microbial balance, impacting host-microbe interactions and potentially causing inflammation.
• Modulating microbial composition towards a healthier state is crucial for effective disease prevention and recurrence management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate electrolyzed saline (EOS) as a novel, selective antimicrobial mouthrinse for periodontal health.
• To evaluate EOS's efficacy in controlling dysbiotic oral biofilms and its biocompatibility with human oral cells.

Main Methods:

• Multispecies oral biofilms (homeostatic and dysbiotic) were grown on hydroxyapatite discs.
• Biofilms were treated with EOS, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) for 3 days.
• Analyses included microbial counts (qPCR), biofilm structure (SEM), metabolic activity (HPLC), and human oral keratinocyte (HOK) responses (cytotoxicity, IL-8 induction).

Main Results:

• EOS significantly reduced pathobionts in dysbiotic biofilms (>3 log10 Geq/mm2) and shifted composition towards commensals (≥99%).
• EOS treatment altered biofilm metabolism and reduced Interleukin-8 (IL-8) induction in HOKs compared to untreated dysbiotic biofilms.
• EOS demonstrated no cytotoxic effects on HOKs and no detrimental impact on homeostatic biofilms or commensal species.

Conclusions:

• Electrolyzed saline (EOS) effectively controls key periodontal pathogens and diverts dysbiotic biofilms in vitro.
• EOS exhibits excellent biocompatibility, showing no toxicity to human oral cells or beneficial commensal oral species.
• EOS presents a promising novel therapeutic agent for clinical applications in preventing periodontal disease development and recurrence.