Effects of Sodium Tripolyphosphate on Oral Commensal and Pathogenic Bacteria.

Polyphosphate (polyP) is a food additive with antimicrobial activity. Here we evaluated the effects of sodium tripolyphosphate (polyP3, NaPO) on four major oral bacterial species, in both single- and mixed-culture. PolyP3 inhibited three opportunistic pathogenic species: , and . On the contrary, a commensal bacterium was relatively less susceptible to polyP3 than the pathogens. When all bacterial species were co-cultured, polyP3 (≥ 0.09%) significantly reduced their total growth and biofilm formation, among which the three pathogenic bacteria were selectively inhibited. Collectively, polyP3 may be an alternative antibacterial agent to control oral pathogenic bacteria. Polyphosphate (polyP) is a food additive with antimicrobial activity. Here we evaluated the effects of sodium tripolyphosphate (polyP3, NaPO) on four major oral bacterial species, in both single- and mixed-culture. PolyP3 inhibited three opportunistic pathogenic species: , and . On the contrary, a commensal bacterium was relatively less susceptible to polyP3 than the pathogens. When all bacterial species were co-cultured, polyP3 (≥ 0.09%) significantly reduced their total growth and biofilm formation, among which the three pathogenic bacteria were selectively inhibited. Collectively, polyP3 may be an alternative antibacterial agent to control oral pathogenic bacteria.