Department of Basic Sciences, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, NY 10010, USA.
Caries Res. 2011;45(4):327-35. doi: 10.1159/000329181. Epub 2011 Jun 30.
There are over 750 species of bacteria that inhabit the human oral cavity, but only a small fraction of those are attributed to causing plaque-related diseases such as caries. Streptococcus mutans is accepted as the main cariogenic agent and there is substantial knowledge regarding the specific virulence factors that render the organism a pathogen. There has been rising interest in alternative, target-specific treatment options as opposed to nonspecific mechanical plaque removal or application of broad-spectrum antibacterials that are currently in use. The impact of diet on oral health is undeniable, and this is directly observable in populations that consume high quantities of polyphenol-rich foods or beverages. Such populations have low caries incidence and better overall oral health. Camellia sinensis, the plant from which various forms of tea are derived, and Vaccinium macrocarpon (American cranberry fruit) have received notable attention both for their prevalence in the human diet as well as for their unique composition of polyphenols. The biologically active constituents of these plants have demonstrated potent enzyme-inhibitory properties without being bactericidal, a key quality that is important in developing therapies that will not cause microorganisms to develop resistance. The aim of this review is to consider studies that have investigated the feasibility of tea, cranberry, and other select plant derivatives as a potential basis for alternative therapeutic agents against Streptococcus mutans and to evaluate their current and future clinical relevance.
口腔中栖息着超过 750 种细菌，但只有一小部分与导致与牙斑有关的疾病（如龋齿）有关。变形链球菌被认为是主要的致龋菌，人们对使该生物体成为病原体的特定毒力因子有了大量的了解。人们对替代的、针对特定目标的治疗选择越来越感兴趣，而不是目前使用的非特异性机械性牙斑去除或广谱抗菌药物的应用。饮食对口腔健康的影响是不可否认的，这在食用大量富含多酚的食物或饮料的人群中直接可见。这些人群龋齿发生率低，整体口腔健康状况较好。茶和蔓越莓（美洲蔓越莓果实）是各种茶叶的植物来源，它们因其在人类饮食中的普遍存在以及多酚的独特成分而受到特别关注。这些植物的生物活性成分具有很强的酶抑制特性，而没有杀菌作用，这是开发不会导致微生物产生耐药性的治疗方法的一个关键质量。本综述的目的是考虑研究茶、蔓越莓和其他选定植物衍生物作为抗变形链球菌替代治疗药物的潜在基础的可行性，并评估它们目前和未来的临床相关性。
