Application of Golden Nanoparticles against Streptococcus Mutans for Prevention of Caries Lesions

Background: Dental caries also known as baby bottle tooth decay, is a critical public health problem around the world for which Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) has been introduced as the main infectious etiology. In the past two decades, nanotechnology has permitted the development of new materials with antimicrobial properties. The aim of this study was to compare the bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects of three golden nanoparticles (SP, NR, and CS) on S.mutans. Methods: To determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), a liquid dilution method was applied. Results: All golden nanoparticles (GNPs) showed antimicrobial activity with no statistically significant differences (> 0.05) in MIC or MBC. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the size and shape of the nanoparticles did not significantly affect the antimicrobial properties of the GNPs. This finding might be useful for achieving important clinical effects with reduced toxicity in the management of early childhood caries in future in vivo studies.