1. Effects of Sugar Alcohols, found in
Sugar-free Gum, on Streptococcus
mutans using an in vitro Closed
Chamber System
By Katie Dill
Mentor: Dr. Sue Katz
Department of Biology
Rogers State University

2. Review: Background
• Human Mouth
▫ 700 bacteria taxa
• Biofilm
▫ Dental Plaque
 Release acids and erode enamel
• Streptococcus mutans
▫ Pathogenic
▫ Non-motile and gram positive
▫ Facultative Anaerobic
▫ Adaptable: Temp. pH
▫ Metabolizes Sucrose

3. Review: Background and Hypothesis
• Teeth cleaning Methods
▫ Mechanical
▫ Chemical
• Sugar Alcohols
▫ Sweetener
 Sugar-free Gum
▫ Carbohydrate
 -Polyol
 Alcohol
• Hypothesis
Mannitol
Sorbitol
Erythritol
Xylitol

4. Significance
• Widespread disease
▫ Expensive
▫ Painful
• S.mutans:
▫ Pathogenic
▫ Highly Adaptive
▫ Cardiovascular disease

5. Review: Experimental Groups and Variables
• Variables:
▫ Independent:
 Concentration of S. mutans
for each sugar
▫ Dependent:
 Sugar Type
• Experimental Groups
▫ Control
 Sucrose
▫ Sugar Alcohols
 Xylitol
 Sorbitol
 Mannitol
 Erythritol

6. Experimental Trial: Saliva Solution
• Sterilization
• 60mL of sucrose Broth+5mL of Saliva
• Dilute to 1:10 by adding sterile water
• Incubate: 37 C for 4 days

7. Experimental Trial: Running the Chamber System
• Saliva-Solution chamber
▫ [5%] of experimental group
• Mouth chamber
▫ Built in Platform
 2 disc per trial
 One disc= one sample
▫ Magnetic Stir Plate
 60-200rpm
• Waste chamber
• Trial: 20 minutes

8. Experiment Trial: Samples
• Ceramic Disc Treatment
▫ Rinse with sterile water
▫ 25mL of NaCl
▫ Sonicate to remove biofilm
• Weighed 15mL tube, record weight
▫ Add 10mL of biofilm
• Centrifuge
▫ 3800rmp
▫ 15 minutes
• Pour off supernatant & reweigh tubes
▫ Pellet weight
Pellet

9. Experimental Trial
• Each pellet
▫ Dilution set: 1:2
▫ 10-9
• Isolate S.mutans
▫ Sucrose Agar
• Incubate overnight
▫ 37 C
▫ Count clear colonies
• Qualitative analysis
▫ Concentration Factor
 CFU/mL
 10-9 section
Sucrose plates

10. Results: Pellet weight
Table 1: Pellet weight Standard Deviation
Sugar Sample size Standard Deviation each
pellet weight(g)
Sucrose 4 0.020615528
Erythritol 4 0.023804761
Mannitol 4 0.020615528
Sorbitol 2 0.007071068
Xylitol 2 0.014142136

11. Erythritol and Sucrose samples
Erythritol
Sucrose

12. 4.88E-06
5.36E-06
4.20E-06
0.00E+00
2.64E-06
6.84E-06
8.92E-06
4.20E-06
4.80E-07
2.64E-06
8.72E-06
6.64E-06
2.20E-06
9.36E-06
9.16E-06
3.16E-06
0.00E+00 2.00E-06 4.00E-06 6.00E-06 8.00E-06 1.00E-05
Xyltiol
Sorbitol
Mannitol
Erythritol
Sucrose
Concentration Factor(CFU/mL)
Sugar
Sugar vs. Concentration Factor(CFU/mL)
Sample 4 Sample 3 Sample 2 Sample 1

13. Conclusion
• Mannitol
▫ Not Effective
• Xylitol, Sorbitol, & Erythritol
▫ Inconclusive
• Xylitol & Sorbitol
▫ Small sample size
• Erythritol
▫ Contradicting results
 16% of sugar alcohol samples

14. References
• Works Cited
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