Comparison Of Antibacterial Efficacy Of L-Arginine By Direct Contact Test- An In-Vitro Study

Abstract

Dental caries, the most widespread oral disease globally, has shown a reduction in prevalence due to the introduction of fluoride. However, despite this decline, the overall prevalence of dental caries remains high. Recently, arginine has been introduced as an agent to combat tooth decay by targeting the reduction of Streptococcus mutans and acidity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of L-arginine against S. mutans through a direct contact test using two toothpastes: Colgate Total Whole Mouth Health (Group A) and Colgate Strong Teeth (Group B). Test samples were prepared by diluting 2mg of each toothpaste in 100 ml of distilled water. These solutions were added to a microtiter plate, and a 10-fold dilution was performed. BHI broth and a bacterial suspension of S. mutans were then added. Optical density values were measured hourly for 24 hours. ANOVA and Post hoc Tukey’s test was applied for statistical analysis. After 24 hours, there was a significant difference within both groups, indicating that L-arginine exhibited antibacterial activity. There were no significant differences between the two groups at most concentrations, except at 1% where Colgate Strong Teeth toothpaste performed better. Within the limitations of the study it could be said that l-arginine has antibacterial activity but results have to  be interpreted cautiously due to the in-vitro nature of the study.