Figure 6.

CLSM results of the adherence surfaces treated with the control and the tested toothpastes using the MDFR test setup and the artificial oral microcosm model for 12 h. Scans were analyzed 3D reconstructions obtained using Drishti software. Enamel surfaces provided a much higher early colonization than RBC surfaces. In the background of the enamel control specimen, a central microcolony shows a long tail detached from the surface and oriented horizontally downstream (to the right). This feature is typical of biofilms that develop on surfaces in the presence of relatively high shear stress and is also a means to colonize downstream surfaces rapidly. This feature demonstrates the good morphological resemblance of bioreactor-grown biofilms with in vivo ones. Enamel specimens treated with β toothpaste showed a higher amount of dead cells compared to the other groups. RBC specimens treated with β toothpaste showed the lowest early colonization overall, consistently with viable biomass results.