Funoran as a marine anti-biofilm polysaccharide for caries prevention: biological basis, current evidence, and translational challenges

Dental caries is a chronic biofilm-mediated disease that is caused by the interplay of plaque dysbiosis, persistent acid generation by cariogenic bacteria and host-associated environmental influences. Accordingly, current anti-caries measures increasingly focus on broader interventions targeting bacterial adhesion and colonization, biofilm formation, extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production, and the local oral microecological equilibrium. Funoran, a sulfated polysaccharide derived from red