Proteases, actinidin, papain and trypsin reduce oral biofilm on the tongue in elderly subjects and in vitro

Highlights • Tablets containing cysteine protease, actinidin, removed the tongue coating. • Oral Actinomyces biofilm was reduced by papain, actinidin and trypsin. • Papain and trypsin effectively digested the main Actinomyces fimbrial proteins, FimP and FimA. • Actinidin, papain and trypsin reduced multispecies biofilm in vitro. • Papain and trypsin inhibited multispecies biofilm formation in vitro.