Effect of Alcohol and Tobacco on Sucrose Fermentation by Streptococcus mutans

알콜과 담배가 Streptococcus mutans의 자당발효에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

Streptococcus mutans 10449 was cultured in sucrose-containing BHI broth with ethyl alcohol of different concentration from 1% to 18%, The pH of culture media was from pH 7.00 to pH 5.00. Tobacco smoke and tobacco extract were also used. Ethyl acohol began to inhibit sucrose fermentation by S. mutans at 2% and completely inhibited it between 9% and 18%. The lower the pH of media was, the stronger the inhibition of ethyl alcohol became. 9% Ethyl alcohol completely inhibited sucrose fermentation by S. mutans below pH 5.50, Inhibition by tobacco extract was obvious, but it did not inhibit the growth of S. mutans also. Therefore, the increase of caries activity in drinkers and smokers could be the result of indirect effect of alcohol and tobacco by oral ecology, behavior, or systematic course, rather than the result of direct effect of alcohol and tobacco to plaque bacteria and their metabolism.