Anti-Streptococcus mutans property of a chitosan: Containing resin sealant

Objective: This study sought to assess the inhibitory effect of chitosan-containing sealants against Streptococcus mutans. Materials and Methods: The antibacterial activity of the resin sealant was evaluated by direct contact test following the addition of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 wt% chitosan. At 3, 6, 9, 24 and 48 h, 1 and 3 months, 10 ml of the microbial suspension in contact with resin sealant was cultured to count the number of colonies. Data were analyzed by one-way one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), repeated measures ANOVA, and Scheffe test. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration of chitosan against S. mutans was 2 wt%. At 3 h, bacterial count in the presence of 2u5 wt% chitosan was significantly lower than that at 0 and 1 wt% (P 0.05). However, this difference in bacterial count between 2 and 3 wt% chitosan and between 4 and 5 wt% chitosan was not significant. At 6 h, the difference in bacterial count between 3 and 4 wt% chitosan was not significant, whereas the remaining groups were significantly different in terms of bacterial count at this time (P 0.05). At the remaining time points, significant differences were found between 2 wt% chitosan and higher concentrations (P 0.05). Conclusion: Sealants containing 2u5 wt% chitosan show an antimicrobial property that is intensified by increasing the concentration of chitosan.