USE OF DIANHYDROHEXITOL IN ORAL AND DENTAL CARE TO REDUCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF BACTERIAL STRAINS

Abstract

The invention relates to the non-therapeutic use of dianhydrohexitol to reduce the development of oral and dental bacterial strains.

Claims

1. A method for reducing the growth of oral bacterial strains, comprising the step of administering a dianhydrohexitol to one in need thereof.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dianhydrohexitol is isosorbide.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dianhydrohexitol is in a composition whose dianhydrohexitol content is at least 50% by weight, preferably at least 75% by weight, even more preferably at least 90% by weight and most preferably at least 95% by weight.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dianhydrohexitol is administered with at least one other polyol, preferentially chosen from glycerol, hydrogenated glucose syrups, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, erythritol, isomalt, lactitol and xylitol, and preferentially xylitol and maltitol and very preferentially xylitol.

5. An oral hygiene product, comprising a dianhydrohexitol, preferably isosorbide.

6. The oral hygiene product as claimed in claim 5, further comprising at least one other polyol, preferentially chosen from glycerol, hydrogenated glucose syrups, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, erythritol, isomalt, lactitol and xylitol, and preferentially xylitol and maltitol and very preferentially xylitol.

7. The oral hygiene product as claimed in claim 5, wherein the dianhydrohexitol content is between 0.2% and 50% by dry weight, preferably from 1% to 25% by dry weight, very preferentially from 5% to 15% by dry weight.

8. The oral hygiene product as claimed in claim 5, wherein the product is a toothpaste.

9. The oral hygiene product as claimed in claim 5, wherein the product is a mouthwash.

10. The oral hygiene product as claimed in claim 5, wherein the product is a local care product.

Description

[0040] The invention may be better understood on reading the nonlimiting implementation examples described below and on examining the attached drawing, in which:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows the bacterial growth and the biofilm formed from a strain of Streptococcus mutans originating from a sample taken from a healthy tooth, under aerobic conditions, in the presence of various polyols,

[0042] FIG. 2 shows the bacterial growth and the biofilm formed from a strain of Streptococcus mutans mutans originating from a sample taken from a decayed tooth, in the presence of various polyols,

[0043] FIG. 3 shows the bacterial growth and the biofilm formed from a strain of Lactobacillus gasseri under anaerobic conditions, in the presence of various polyols,

[0044] FIG. 4 shows the bacterial growth and the biofilm formed from a strain of Actinomyces naeslundii under aerobic conditions, in the presence of various polyols,

[0045] FIG. 5 shows the bacterial growth and the biofilm formed from a strain of Actinomyces naeslundii under anaerobic conditions, in the presence of various polyols, and

[0046] FIG. 6 shows the bacterial growth and the biofilm formed from a strain of Actinomyces oris under aerobic conditions, in the presence of various polyols.

[0047] The examples that follow consist in quantifying the action of various polyols on the growth of various bacterial strains that are liable to be found in the buccal cavity.

[0048] In order to demonstrate the effect of isosorbide on the growth of the main bacterial strains that grow in the oral environment, the four strains of interest were orally sampled: Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus gasseri, Actinomyces naeslundii and Actinomyces oris.

[0049] These strains were isolated and then identified in the bacteriology laboratory of the School of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences, Lille.

[0050] The growth of these strains was then measured in the presence of isosorbide, maltitol, xylitol, allulose, sorbitol powder and dextrose monohydrate in an unrefreshed culture medium, incubated at 37° C. for 48 hours or 72 hours under aerobic or anaerobic conditions.

[0051] The growths were measured by bacterial counting on solid medium.

[0052] The bacteria located at the surface, or at the time of formation of a plaque or of a film in the buccal cavity, grow in an aerobic environment, but once the plaque or the film has formed, the majority of the bacteria are in an anaerobic environment. It is thus interesting to evaluate the impact of the dianhydrohexitols, and in particular of the isosorbide, under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

[0053] The results are expressed in Log 10 (CFU/ml).

[0054] The culture media used are the Bacto Brain Heart Infusion (ref. 237500-BD (BHI)) and Difco™ Brain Heart Infusion Agar (ref. 241830-BD (BHIa)) culture media.

[0055] Streptococcus mutans (SM)

[0056] As illustrated in FIG. 1, under aerobic conditions and on a healthy tooth, at T=24 hours, the growths obtained with isosorbide remain absent. The population then declines slightly, revealing a bacteriostatic effect of isosorbide, in contrast with what is observed for all the other polyols tested.

[0057] Very slowed growth of the SMs is also observed on the strains originating from an oral sample taken from a decayed tooth, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0058] Under anaerobic conditions, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the bacterial growth varies little but the biofilm formed in the absence of isosorbide is much more pronounced than in the presence of isosorbide after 96 hours of incubation.

[0059] Lactobacillus gasseri

[0060] Lactobacillus gasseri only grows under anaerobic conditions. As illustrated in FIG. 3, at T=24 hours, the growth obtained with isosorbide remains absent, the populations declining beyond 24 hours, revealing an inhibitory effect of isosorbide that is not observed with the other polyols tested.

[0061] Actinomyces naeslundii

[0062] Under anaerobic conditions, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the bacterial population in the presence of isosorbide falls constantly until it disappears completely.

[0063] Isosorbide thus has a bactericidal effect.

[0064] The effect of xylitol will be noted: in the presence of xylitol, the bacterial population remains stable, whereas in the presence of the other polyols tested, the bacterial population undergoes exponential growth.

[0065] Under aerobic conditions, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the bacterial growth in the presence of isosorbide remains low relative to the other polyols. A substantial decrease in the bacterial population is observed from T=40 hours.

[0066] Again, xylitol appears to further curb the bacterial growth than the other polyols tested and, in fact, it may be advantageous to use it in combination with isosorbide.

[0067] Actinomyces oris

[0068] Under aerobic conditions, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the bacterial growth decreases greatly over time in the presence of isosorbide, then stabilizes after 24 hours.

[0069] In the presence of allulose and xylitol, the bacterial growth is slowed relative to the other polyols tested, but remains very much higher than that observed in the presence of isosorbide.

[0070] In all cases, a very significant decrease in the growth of the bacterial strains is thus observed in the presence of isosorbide. Such a result is particularly surprising, as there was nothing to suggest any particular behavior associated with isosorbide relative to the other polyols.

[0071] Extremely surprisingly and advantageously, isosorbide offers a level of performance that is even higher than that observed with xylitol or sorbitol, which are the polyols most commonly used in commercial toothpastes.

[0072] It is understood that the embodiments described are not limiting and that it is possible to provide further improvements to the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

[0073] Unless otherwise mentioned, the word “or” is equivalent to “and/or”. Similarly, unless otherwise mentioned, the word “a(n)” or “one” is equivalent to “at least one”.