Inhibitory Effects of Administration of Curcumin Against on Streptococcus Mutans: In vitro and In vivo Studies

Streptococcus mutans is a harmful bacterium that destroys teeth and increases the development of caries. The use of a safe antibacterial compound can decrease the population of S. mutans and increase teeth healthiness. Curcumin is an antibacterial compound that may decrease S. mutans. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial effects of the administration of curcumin against S. mutans. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of tested extracts were determined by a micro-dilution method using a 96-well microliter plate. Biofilm formation was also investigated. In order to investigate dental caries development a study was conducted on rats. The results showed antibacterial activity of curcumin against S. mutans in terms of MIC and MBC compared to the control group (P<0.05). The results also revealed that biofilm formation was significantly lower in higher doses of curcumin. The administration of curcumin also decreased dental caries development in rats. In sum, curcumin can be considered as an appropriate compound for antibacterial activity against S. mutans. We suggest using curcumin for tooth care.