IMPLEMENTATION OF MgO/ZEIN NANOCOMPOSITES TO IMPROVE ANTI-BACTERIA CHARACTERISTICS OF MOUTHWASH
Oral health problems in humans have not been adequately resolved. It is caused by bacterial activity such as caries, periodontal inflammation, and microbial abscesses. The leading cause is pathogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus aureus and mushrooms Candida albicans [1, 2]. Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) stated that in 2018 the most significant percentage of oral problems in Indonesia were cavities/sore/damaged teeth at 45.3 % and oral health problems such as swollen gums and boils (abscesses) at 14 % [3]. Various methods have been carried out to overcome diseases in the oral cavity, one of which is mouthwash.
Mouthwash is used to reduce the growth and development of bacteria [4]. One of the antibacterial ingredients commonly found in mouthwash is chlorhexidine, which has bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties against various bacteria present in plaque [5]. However, routine use of these mouthwashes can cause staining of the oral cavity, such as the mucosa, teeth, and tongue dorsum, which affects the oral cavity’s health. In addition, long-term use will result in increased calculus formation, taste disturbance, burning sensation, and mucosal irritation. Products with high chlorhexidine concentrations are harmful in case of contact with eyes and ears. To reduce the side effects of chlorhexidine, commercial mouthwashes with these ingredients are limited in use, around 0.2 %. Even in some countries, the mouthwash on the market only contains chlorhexidine by 0.12 %. Low chlorhexidine mouthwash concentrations can only provide an antibacterial effect in small amounts [6, 7]. That way, adding other ingredients to the mouthwash formula is necessary to increase its antibacterial ability besides originating from chlorhexidine. The hope is that this new formula will be more optimal in preventing the activity of bacteria that cause oral disease.
Zein-coated MgO nanoparticles could be considered potential antibacterial agents when added to mouthwash [8]. The addition of zein polymers to MgO nanoparticles creates a layer that prevents agglomeration of MgO particles so that the antibacterial potential of the MgO which is more optimal. MgO nanoparticles are metal oxide nanoparticles widely used in medicine because they have bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties and are not harmful to the oral environment. It is due to bactericidal activity that can act against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria [9, 10]. MgO nanoparticles can be obtained by calcination dolomite which contains 26.4 % magnesium oxide and 63.42 % calcium oxide [11]. The availability of dolomite in Indonesia is very abundant [12]. Although it has been shown to have antibacterial properties in previous studies, most of the dolomite in Indonesia is still used conventionally, namely as fertilizer and building materials [13]. Meanwhile, Zein is a natural corn polymer that can be used in nano form to coat MgO nanoparticles to prevent aggregation. Adding Zein to MgO nanoparticles can increase the antimicrobial effect against microorganisms Streptococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, and mushrooms Candida albicans, different from using only MgO [8].
Adding MgO/Zein nanocomposites proved to be very good at reducing the rate of microorganisms and the possibility of bacteria to develop [14]. It happens due to an increase in the alkaline pH of MgO nanoparticles, which act as antibacterials for acidogenic organisms such as Streptococcus and Escherichia, causes of dental caries [15]. The public usually uses mouthwash, which is more effective when added to the MgO/Zein nanocomposite. However, the addition of these nanocomposites has not been studied more deeply in terms of the composition of MgO/Zein and the concentration of the two when combined with commercial mouthwashes, even though these additions can minimize the occurrence of diseases in the oral cavity due to bacterial activity S. aureus, and mushrooms C. albicans.
Based on the above studies, in this research, the synthesis of MgO nanoparticles from dolomite was carried out, which was then composited with Zein polymer as an additive in antibacterial mouthwash. The results of this study are expected that the MgO/Zein nanocomposite-based antibacterial mouthwash formulation can prevent oral cavity diseases caused by bacteria S. aureus and mushrooms C. albicans.
