Effect of Disaccharide Xylosylfructoside on Sucrose Cariogenicity in an Artificial Mouth System

It has been reported that xylosylfructoside (XF) effectively inhibited the synthesis of water-insoluble glucan (WIG) and adherence of mutans streptococci to smooth surfaces. The purposes of this study were to examine the cariogenicity of XF and assess the inhibitory effect of XF against the cariogenicity of sucrose using culture and artificial mouth systems. S. mutans MT8148 was cultured in heart infusion broth containing 1% sucrose with 0-5% XF in a glass test tube. The amounts of WIG and bacterial cells in the adherent fraction were significantly inhibited by XF in a dose-dependent manner. In the artificial mouth system, 1% XF did not inhibit the formation of artificial biofilm and enamel demineralization in the presence of 1% sucrose, but 2.5% XF significantly inhibited the formation of biofilm on enamel slabs, pH decrease underneath the biofilm, and enamel demineralization, suggesting that an appropriate concentration of XF could inhibit, in part, the cariogenicity of sucrose.