L-Arginine-containing mesoporous silica nanoparticles embedded in dental adhesive for targeting cariogenic dental biofilm

Abstract Dental caries is the major biofilm-mediated oral disease in the world. The main treatment to restore the caries lesions consist of the use of adhesive resin composites due to their good properties. However, the progressive degradation of the adhesive in the medium term makes possible the proliferation of cariogenic bacteria allowing secondary caries to emerge. In this study, a dental adhesive incorporating a drug delivery system based on L-arginine-containing mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) was used to release this essential amino acid as a source of basicity to neutralise the harmful acidic conditions that mediate in the development of dental secondary caries. The in vitro and bacteria culture experiments proved that L-arginine was released in a sustained way from MSNs and diffused out from the dental adhesive, and effectively contributing to the reduction of the bacterial strains Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus casei . Furthermore, the mechanical and bonding properties of the dental adhesive did not change significantly after the incorporation of L-arginine-containing MSNs. These results are yielding glimmers of promise for the cost-effective prevention of secondary caries.