A Comparison of Antimicrobial Efficacy of Silver-based Preventive Restorations (Silver Nitrate, Silver Diamine Fluoride, and Silver Nanoparticles) against Streptococcus mutans Monospecies Biofilm Model

AIM: The ability of the Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) to form biofilms is not only crucial in the initiation of early childhood caries (ECC) but is also a challenge to its treatment. The current management protocols focus on remineralization and use of antimicrobial formulations which penetrate biofilms, control their formation, and decrease the incidence of caries in children. The paradigm shift toward preventive protocols and increasing antibiotic resistance rekindled the use of silver as a promising antibacterial agent. To gain further insight into the therapeutic potential, aim of the present study was to compare the antibacterial efficacy of silver-based preventive restorations [silver nitrate (AgNO(3)), silver diamine fluoride (SDF), and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)] against S. mutans species. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using an ex vivo monospecies biofilm model of S. mutans; the antimicrobial efficacy of three treatment groups (SDF, AgNO(3), and AgNPs) was evaluated. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the negative control and three treatment groups (SDF, AgNO(3), and AgNPs). The results showed that the mean diameter of inhibition zones obtained in biofilms treated with AgNPs was 40.3 ± 0.25 mm which was greater than both SDF (37.7 ± 0.18 mm) and AgNO(3) (36.26 ± 0.18 mm). CONCLUSION: The study concluded that the number of viable bacteria was significantly reduced by all three medicaments (p < 0.05). However, AgNPs showed the highest antimicrobial activity in comparison to SDF and AgNO(3) against S. mutans biofilm. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The present study thus supports that AgNPs are a promising preventive anticaries agent due to their better antibacterial activity in comparison to other silver-based preventive restorations and can be effectively used as an alternative to SDF or AgNO(3) for the noninvasive treatment of ECC in the young. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Sharma P, Dhawan P, Rajpal SK, et al. A Comparison of Antimicrobial Efficacy of Silver-based Preventive Restorations (Silver Nitrate, Silver Diamine Fluoride, and Silver Nanoparticles) against Streptococcus mutans Monospecies Biofilm Model. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(S-1):S13–S19.