Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of growth at pH levels from 7.1 to 9.5 on the adherence of Enterococcus faecalis to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and collagen type I coated surfaces.

Methods: E. faecalis strain A197A was grown in broth of adjusted pHs varying between 7.1 and 9.5. Aliquots of bacterial suspensions were added to wells coated either with BSA or with collagen type I. Bacteria adhering to the surfaces were stained with crystal violet. Following dissolution of the stain the number of bacteria adhering to the surfaces was quantified spectrophotometrically.

Results: The adhesion of E. faecalis A197A to BSA coated surfaces decreased parallel to an increase in alkalinity of the growth medium. The pH 7.1 grown bacteria bound significantly more to BSA than the other pH groups. Contrarily, the adhesion to collagen type I coated surfaces of bacteria grown at pH 8.0 and pH 8.5 was significantly greater than for those grown at pH 7.1.

Conclusion: An increase in pH, which is a consequence of treatment with alkaline medicaments such as calcium hydroxide, increases the collagen binding ability of E. faecalis A197A, and may facilitate dentinal tubule invasion of the bacterium. This can be a critical mechanism by which E. faecalis predominates in persistent endodontic infections.

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