Intro (tentative)

For over the generations people have become addicted to food. They eat what they want anytime
anywhere and because of that they trigger the growth of biofilm in their teeth that can cause tooth
decay. The more you consume (especially sugary) food or drinks the more your biofilm will use your
food as their food for them to grow. Children approximately ages 3 - 12 years old gains the most
biofilm because they often eat sweets and doesn’t clean their teeth. In addition, according to
Carifree it is not just something that appears in older children and adults. Babies develop biofilm
quickly as they develop teeth.

In this recent year many studies have been proven that dental caries specifically biofilms can be
inhibited by the use of specific foods. Today, a number of foods and food components are known to
act potentially as anticaries agents such as, apple, red grape seeds, mushroom, garlic extract, cocoa
extracts, and propolis.

Philippines is known to grow fungi that has a great value in terms of medicines. Shiitake mushroom
(Lentinula edodes) is known to have a tasty flavor and mostly included in plenty of dishes. This
fungus doesn’t only used in kitchen but also in medicinal purposes. The mushroom has a beneficial
value for its disease-fighting characteristic that can kill and inhibit bacteria including biofilm. Through
the use of extracted shiitake mushroom it will attack and also inhibit the growth of these biofilms in
the teeth.

Nowadays, shiitake mushroom is widely used for its anti-bacterial activity. By extracting the B-D-
Glucan of the mushroom with alcohol will make an ethanolic extract that can inhibit the growth of
oral biofilms.

For over the generations people has become addicted to food. They eat what they want anytime
anywhere and because of that they trigger the growth of biofilm in their teeth that can cause tooth
decay. The more you consume (especially sugary) food or drinks the more your biofilm will use your
food as their food for them to grow. Children approximagely ages 3 - 12 years old gains the most
biofilm because they often eat sweets and doesnt clean their teeth. In addition, according to
Carifree it is not just something that appears in older children and adults. Babies develop biofilm
quickly as they develop teeth.

In this recent year many studies have been proven that dental caries (specifically biofilms) can be
inhibited by the use of specific foods. Today, a number of foods and food components are known to
act potentially as anticaries agents such as, apple, red grape seeds, mushroom, garlic extract, cocoa
extracts, and propolis.

Philippines is known to grow fungi that has a great value in terms of medicines. This study aims to
make use of the shiitake mushroom that grows in the Philippines and develop an ethanolic extract to
inhibit these biofilms that grows in the teeth. Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) is known to
have a tasty flavor and mostly included in plenty of dishes. This fungus doesnt only used in kitchen
but also in medicinal purposes. The mushroom has a benificial value for its disease-fighting
characteristic that can kill and inhibit bacterias including biofilm .
Shiitake mushroom is consist of polysaccharide β-D-glucan, heteroglucan, xylomannan, lentinan and
eritadenine. B-D-glucan or beta-d-glucan comprise a group of β-D-glucose polysaccharides naturally
occurring in the cell walls of cereals, bacteria, and fungi.

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Background of the Study
Oral diseases such as dental caries (tooth decay), periodontitis (gum disease) and oral and
pharyngeal cancers are a global health problem in both industrialized and increasingly in developing
countries, especially amongst poorer communities, the World Health Organization (WHO) said
today. Announcing the findings of the World Oral Health Report, WHO said that an estimated five
billion people worldwide had experienced dental caries.
“Worldwide, losing teeth is seen as a natural consequence of ageing, but it is in fact
preventable,” said Dr Catherine Le Gales-Camus, WHO’s Assistant-Director General, Non-
communicable Diseases and Mental Health. “There is a perception that dental caries is no longer a
problem in the developed world, but it affects 60-90% of schoolchildren and the vast majority of
adults. Dental caries is also the most prevalent oral disease in several Asian and Latin American
countries.”

Statement of The problem

This study aims to investigate the inhibitory and anti-fungal effect of Shiitake mushroom on oral
biofilm
Specially, it aims to answer the following question:

1. What is the active component in Shiitake Mushroom?

2.