as an Important Factor in Dental Biofilm Homeostasis: Influence on and in Mixed Biofilm.

A disturbed balance within the dental biofilm can result in the dominance of cariogenic and periodontopathogenic species and disease development. Due to the failure of pharmacological treatment of biofilm infection, a preventive approach to promoting healthy oral microbiota is necessary. This study analyzed the influence of K12 on the development of a multispecies biofilm composed of , and . Four different materials were used: hydroxyapatite, dentin and two dense polytetrafluoroethylene (d-PTFE) membranes. Total bacteria, individual species and their proportions in the mixed biofilm were quantified. A qualitative analysis of the mixed biofilm was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The results showed that in the presence of K 12 in the initial stage of biofilm development, the proportion of was reduced, which resulted in the inhibition of microcolony development and the complex three-dimensional structure of the biofilm. In the mature biofilm, a significantly lower proportion of the periodontopathogenic species was found in the salivarius biofilm. Our results show that K 12 can inhibit the growth of pathogens in the dental biofilm and help maintain the physiological balance in the oral microbiome.