Supporting data for "Multi-functional materials for the prevention of dental caries"

Dental caries, a significant public health issue, is primarily caused by S. mutans, which leads to the demineralization of tooth hard tissue. In order to prevent dental caries, it is crucial to inhibit S. mutans and promote tooth remineralization. In this research, we created a multi-functional membrane by combining a self-assembled lysozyme with polyphemusin I (PI) to suppress S. mutans and stimulate remineralization.

The enamel coated with lysozyme nanofilm exhibited greater PI absorption. When combined with PI, this coated enamel effectively killed more S. mutans and displayed superior biofilm inhibition capabilities. Additionally, the PI-combined coated enamel helped retain calcium and phosphate ions. During the pH cycling process, the coated enamel regenerated more crystals compared to regular enamel. Furthermore, the coated enamel combined with PI demonstrated a significantly reduced lesion depth (72.45 ± 4.07 µm) compared to the normal enamel combined with PI (93.30 ± 7.64 µm) after S. mutans demineralization. The lysozyme nanofilm and PI also exhibited good biocompatibility. As a result, this multi-functional membrane presents a promising strategy for dental caries prevention.