An in vitro model for adhesion of bacteria to human tooth root surfaces.

A model mimicking bacterial colonization of dentine has been developed. It employs uniform particles of pulverized human tooth root tissue incubated with radioactively labelled bacteria. After incubation, the number of attaching bacteria is quantified. Attachment of Streptococcus mutans UA140, Actinomyces viscosus T14, and Lactobacillus casei 101 was found to be time dependent and complete within 1-3 h. Dissociation constants (Kd) of the interactions equalled 2.5 x 10(8) and 1.6 x 10(8) cells/ml, for Strep. mutants and A. viscosus, respectively. The Kd for L. casei could not be determined as attachment was not saturable. The putative tissue components involved in adherence were studied by determining the attachment of bacteria in the presence of competing strains. The results suggest that Strep. mutans and A. viscosus recognized and competed for the same ligand (probably collagen) in the dentine. L. casei attachment did not complete with the attachment of Strep. mutans and A. viscosus. Attachment of all strains was modified by preincubation with saliva and varied with bacterial strain and saliva donor.