European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Global data suggest Dental caries is a dysbiotic, biofilm-mediated disease imparting serious health problems impacting almost half the world population. An ecological equilibrium of microbes is crucial for maintaining the human biofilm in a healthy state. One way to restore this homeostasis is to equilibrate the acidity and alkalinity processes to maintain a neutral pH. Physiological factors that can countervail the acidification of biofilms mainly include the buffering capacity of saliva and the metabolism of salivary substrates, such as urea and arginine, which generates alkali in the form of ammonia. Hence, there has been an increasing interest in therapeutic interventions that modulate the microbiome of biofilms to reinstate this balance. The current scenario focuses on approaches using either antimicrobial strategies or to augment the growth of health-promoting bacteria. Here we review, the knowledge gained from laboratory and clinical studies that support a remarkable role of arginine metabolism in the ecological balance of supragingival biofilms, inhibition of caries, and also report its promising clinical applications in dentistry. The major points are the following: 1. the significance of arginine and its associated mechanism of action. 2. Potential of arginine to promote remineralization and decrease dentinal hypersensitivity. 3. To Provide oral health professionals with recommendations for using arginine in clinical practice