Antibiofilm, Cytotoxicity and Release Studies of Green Synthesized ZnO Nanoparticles Embedded in Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) in Management of Cariogenic Streptococcus mutans

Abstract

Nanoparticles exhibiting microbicidal and antibiofilm activity against Streptococcus mutans seems to be a promising prospect in the management of dental caries. In present study, zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using Rosa bracteata extract and characterized using UV visible spectroscopy, SEM and XRD. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles exhibited a strong absorbance at 390 nm, with an average crystalline size of 118 nm. The SEM analysis showed nanowire like structures with a size ranging between 65-150 nm. The ZnO nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. There was a significant reduction in the number of S. mutans forming biofilm, in the presence 100 μg/mL of ZnO nanoparticles. Further, ZnO nanoparticles were embedded in the dental prosthetic material poly(methyl methacrylate) to form PMMA-ZnO nanocomposites and the amount of ZnO nanoparticles released from the nanocomposite was measured. Further, the ZnO nanoparticles at 100 μg/mL concentration were found to be non-toxic on the HaCaT cell lines. This study proves that the green synthesized ZnO nanoparticles incorporated into the dental prosthetics can be used in the control and prevention of secondary dental caries.