Original Article

Year : 2020 | Volume : 8 | Issue : 2 | Page : 18 - 22

A BITTER SWEET! Effectiveness of Chocolates and Probiotic Chocolates in Reduction of Streptococcus mutans – An In vitro Study

J. Balaji, Parvathy Premnath1 , Lakshmi Ravi2 , Kanakam Elizabeth Thomas3

CRRI, Asan Memorial Dental College and Hospital, 1 Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, 2 Head of the Department, Department of Orthodontics, 3Associate professor, Department of Microbiology, Asan Memorial Dental College and Hospital, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India

Address for correspondence:

Dr. J. Balaji, Asan Memorial Dental College and Hospital, Asan Nagar, Oragadam Road,

Chengalpattu ‐ 603 105, Tamil Nadu, India.

E‐mail: balaji.great2521@gmail.com

Abstract

Context:

Dental caries is the most common type of dental problem known to mankind, and the bacterial species‐Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) is known to initiate it, thus playing a significant role in dental caries formation. Theobromine in dark chocolate and probiotics are known for anticariogenic and antibacterial properties.

Aims:

The aim of this study is to find the effectiveness of white chocolate, dark chocolate, and probiotic‐infused dark chocolate against S. mutans. Subjects and Methods: Blood‐infused Mueller–Hinton agar was prepared with three wells. Twenty grams of chocolate were dispersed in each well. Chlorhexidine and saline were used as positive and negative control. The agar plate was then streaked with S. mutans. These prepared culture media was then allowed to incubate at 37°C for a time period of about 24 h under sterile environment. Finally, the diameters of the zone of inhibition were measured using the Hi Antibiotic Zone Scale. ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test were used for statistical. Statistical Analysis Used: ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test were used for statistical.

Results:

On comparison, probiotic‐infused dark chocolate shows the greatest zone of inhibition (16.83 ± 1.329) followed by chlorhexidine (15.18 ± 1.458) which is then followed by dark chocolate (11.33 ± 1.751) and white chocolate (7.17 ± 1.835), and finally normal saline which showed no zone of inhibition. On overall evaluation using ANOVA, the statistically significant difference was found out (P < 0.001). Intergroup comparison was performed using Tukey’s post hoc test, whose P < 0.001 thus being statistically significant.

Conclusion:

Among all the different kinds of chocolates used in the study, probiotic‐infused dark chocolate showed the greatest anti‐microbial activity against S. mutans.

Keywords: Chocolates, dental caries, probiotics, Streptococcus mutans, theobromine

How to cite this article:

Balaji J, Premnath P, Ravi L, Thomas KE. A BITTER SWEET! Effectiveness of chocolates and probiotic chocolates in reduction of Streptococcus mutans – An in vitro study. Int J Community Dent 2020;8:18-22.