Figure 1

CHD-FA reduces ECM and compromises cell membrane structure. S. mutans (x2000) and E. faecalis (x5000) biofilms were either untreated (A and C, respectively) or treated with 0.5% (v/v) CHD-FA (B and D, respectively) for 24 h on Thermanox™ coverslips. These were then processed and viewed on a JEOL JSM-6400 scanning electron microscope and images assembled using Photoshop software. Note the reduction in extracellular matrix (B) and perturbation of bacterial cell membranes (D), denoted by arrows on sessile cells.