Salivary nitrate and nitrite may have antimicrobial effects on desulfovibrio species

Abstract

The antibacterial effects of salivary nitrate/nitrite on the growth of three Desulfovibrio species were examined. The bacteria did not grow on plates with ≥0.2mM nitrate or≥1.0mM nitrite. They were also incubated in filter-sterilized saliva. D. desulfuricans was reduced on the order of ≥102 compared with the control solution (phosphate-buffered saline) in nine out of the 10 participants.