Effect of erythritol on microbial ecology of in vitro gingivitis biofilms

Abstract

Gingivitis is one of the most common oral infections in humans. While sugar alcohols such as erythritol are suggested to have caries-preventive properties, it may also have beneficial effects in prevention of gingivitis by preventing maturation of oral biofilms. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of erythritol on the microbial ecology and the gingivitis phenotype of oral microcosms. Biofilms were inoculated with stimulated saliva from 20 healthy donors and grown in a gingivitis model in the continuous presence of 0 (control group), 5, and 10% erythritol. After 9 days of growth, biofilm formation, protease activity (gingivitis phenotype), and microbial profile analyses were performed. Biofilm growth was significantly reduced in the presence of erythritol, and this effect was dose dependent. Protease activity and the Shannon diversity index of the microbial profiles of the biofilms were significantly lower when erythritol was present. Microbial profile analysis revealed that presence of erythritol induced a compositional shift from periodontitis- and gingivitis-related taxa toward early colonizers. The results of this study suggest that erythritol suppresses maturation of the biofilms toward unhealthy composition. The gingivitis phenotype was suppressed and biofilm formation was reduced in the presence of erythritol. Therefore, it is concluded that erythritol may contribute to a healthy oral ecosystem in vitro.

Erythritol-enriched powder and oral biofilm regrowth on dental implants: an in vitro study

“…A recent randomized clinical trial has demonstrated the effectiveness of this powder in removing dental plaque during repeated instrumentation of residual pockets in supportive periodontal therapy ( 12 ). To summarize, erythritol seems to induce a change in the oral microbiota, shifting it towards a more favorable environment where the traditional colonizers are predominant ( 32 ). One possible explanation for these positive outcomes might be related to the attachment of erythritol/chlorhexidine particles to the dental implants.…”

Nitric Oxide Donor Modulates a Multispecies Oral Bacterial Community—An In Vitro Study

“…Harmful changes in oral microbiota balance (dysbiosis) can lead to dental caries, periodontal disease, and various systemic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, colorectal cancer, pneumonia, and diabetes [5,6,8,43]. In order to elucidate the nature of oral ecosystems, several studies have been conducted to investigate the response of oral microbiota using environmental factors, such as nitrate, erythritol, and arginine [44,45,46]. In this study, we investigated the effect of NO, which is known to occur in the oral cavity and is one of the environmental factors that may shift the oral microbiota, on dental plaque using a simple system for in vitro culture.…”

The Biocompatibility of a New Erythritol-and Xyltol-Containing Fluoride Toothpaste

“…Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that is approved as a sugar substitute with no or minimal laxative effect and without any quantity restriction as a food additive. In various in vitro and clinical studies, erythritol showed an inhibitory effect on biofilm formation, on the presence of caries-inducing bacteria, and on the susceptibility of subjects to caries [3][4][5]. Xylitol, also a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, is currently used mainly as a sugar substitute because it has no or minimal acidogenic potential.…”