Antibacterial Efficacy of Dental Sealant Containing Phytoncide

Abstract

Background: Dental caries prevention is a key research focus in dentistry, requiring advancements in the formulation of dental sealants. This study investigated the physical and antibacterial attributes of dental sealant enriched with phytoncide. Methods: Phytoncide was mixed with a commercially available dental sealant (Clinpro) at concentrations of 0 (control), 1.5%, 3%, and 4.5% by weight (wt%). The flexural strength, curing depth, and wettability of the dental sealant were measured. Antibacterial properties against Streptococcus mutans were evaluated through the enumeration of colony-forming units. Statistical analyses employed one-way variance analysis followed by Tukey's test (p＜0.05). Results: The dental sealant containing 3% phytoncide showed no significant difference in flexural strength and curing depth compared with that in the control group (p＞0.05). The flexural strength and curing depth decreased with increasing phytoncide content and significantly differed in sealant containing 4.5 wt% phytoncide (p＜0.05). Wettability did not differ between the experimental and control groups (p＞0.05). The antibacterial properties of the sealant containing 1.5% phytoncide were the same as those of the control group (p＞0.05). The bacterial viability was significantly reduced in groups containing 3% and 4.5% phytoncide compared with that in the control group (p＜0.05). Conclusion: Dental sealants incorporating phytoncide have a promising potential as antibacterial dental materials.