The adherence of
Streptococcus mutans to E-glass used in fiber-reinforced composites,
denture base polymer, and four other restoratives was investigated. The
materials were studied with and without a parotid saliva and serum
pellicle. Specimens of the studied materials (E-glass, denture base
polymer, titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy, gold alloy, and grained
feldspar ceramic) were incubated in a suspension of S. mutans, allowing
initial adhesion to occur. The degree of bacterial adhesion was studied
using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The studied uncoated materials
showed rather similar adhesion of S. mutans. Saliva coating resulted in
a decrease of adherence to all materials except glass. With a saliva
pellicle E-glass showed the strongest ability to bind S. mutans, and it
differed significantly from the other studied materials. Serum coating
markedly decreased adhesion to all materials, and only minor differences
among the studied materials were observed. The results of this study
suggest that the studied restoratives are rather similar with respect to
S. mutans adhesion and that a saliva pellicle may promote adhesion of
S. mutans to glass fibers.