FIG 6.

S. mutans has a higher capacity to adhere to oral epithelial cells than S. sanguinis and S. gordonii. OKF6 cells were cocultured with S. sanguinis, S. gordonii, and S. mutans for 3 h at an MOI of 1. OFK6 cells with possible internalized and attached bacteria were permeabilized and serial dilutions plated for CFU/mL counts. For each condition, the attachment of S. mutans was compared to that of S. sanguinis (A) or S. gordonii (B) by determining the ratio of S. mutans to the commensal. (SEM; n = 3). Groups were compared to control using one-way ANOVA (Dunnett’s correction).