Effect of <i>Veillonella parvula</i> on the antimicrobial resistance and gene expression of <i>Streptococcus mutans</i> grown in a dual‐species biofilm

Abstract

Growing in a biofilm together with a non-pathogenic bacterium like V. parvula changes the physiology of S. mutans, and gives this bacterium an advantage in surviving antimicrobial treatment. Thus, the study of pathogens implicated in polymicrobial diseases, such as caries and periodontitis, should be focused more on multispecies biofilms. In addition, the testing of susceptibility to currently used and new antimicrobials should be performed on a multispecies microbial community rather than with single pathogens.