In Vitro Evaluation of the Remineralizing Potential and Antimicrobial Activity of a Cariostatic Agent with Silver Nanoparticles

Abstract Cariostatic treatment has been shown to successfully arrest caries. However, it blackens the carious tooth structure. This study evaluated the effects of an experimental cariostatic agent with silver nanoparticles (Ag-Nano) using microhardness (MH) and microbiological tests. The cariostatic agents tested were: Saforide®, Cariestop®, Ancarie® and Ag-Nano. Sixty-six samples from deciduous enamel were submitted to initial (after pH cycling to obtain initial caries-like lesion) and final (after cariostatic application) MH testing and %MH values were calculated. After longitudinal sectioning, internal (I) MH was evaluated. Strains of Streptococcus mutans, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis in brain-heart infusion culture were treated with the cariostatic agents. Agar diffusion tests (ADTs) were performed and minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined. The statistical tests used were: Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn (%MD; ADT; MIC) and ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test (I-MH) (p