PURPOSE: Severe early childhood caries (ECC) results from bacterial acid production in an acidic environment. The purpose of this study was to determine Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, and acid-tolerant counts in severe early childhood caries. METHODS: Two- to 6-year-olds with severe-ECC (N=77) or who were caries-free (N=40) were examined. Plaque samples from teeth and the tongue were cultured anaerobically on blood, acid, and S. mutans selective agars. Severe-ECC children were monitored post-treatment for recurrent caries. RESULTS: Severe-ECC and caries-free children were balanced by household income and education level. Carious lesions were observed in 75% maxillary incisors and >80% molars in severe-ECC. At baseline, S. mutans, and S. sobrinus counts and proportions of S mutans were higher in severe-ECC than caries-free children. Acid and blood counts were elevated only in anterior samples of severe-ECC children. Baseline counts of S. sobrinus, but not S. mutans, were higher in children with recurrent compared with no recurrent caries. S. mutans counts were lower following treatment than pretreatment, particularly for children without caries recurrence. Other counts did not differ between before and after therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Severe and recurrent early childhood caries was better explained by mutans streptococci than the aciduric microbiota. Streptococcus mutans did not predict children with recurrent caries.
PURPOSE: Severe early childhood caries (ECC) results from bacterial acid production in an acidic environment. The purpose of this study was to determine Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, and acid-tolerant counts in severe early childhood caries. METHODS: Two- to 6-year-olds with severe-ECC (N=77) or who were caries-free (N=40) were examined. Plaque samples from teeth and the tongue were cultured anaerobically on blood, acid, and S. mutans selective agars. Severe-ECC children were monitored post-treatment for recurrent caries. RESULTS: Severe-ECC and caries-free children were balanced by household income and education level. Carious lesions were observed in 75% maxillary incisors and >80% molars in severe-ECC. At baseline, S. mutans, and S. sobrinus counts and proportions of S mutans were higher in severe-ECC than caries-free children. Acid and blood counts were elevated only in anterior samples of severe-ECC children. Baseline counts of S. sobrinus, but not S. mutans, were higher in children with recurrent compared with no recurrent caries. S. mutans counts were lower following treatment than pretreatment, particularly for children without caries recurrence. Other counts did not differ between before and after therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Severe and recurrent early childhood caries was better explained by mutans streptococci than the aciduric microbiota. Streptococcus mutans did not predict children with recurrent caries.
Authors: Floyd E Dewhirst; Tuste Chen; Jacques Izard; Bruce J Paster; Anne C R Tanner; Wen-Han Yu; Abirami Lakshmanan; William G Wade Journal: J Bacteriol Date: 2010-07-23 Impact factor: 3.490
Authors: J J de Soet; C van Loveren; A J Lammens; M J Pavicić; C H Homburg; J M ten Cate; J de Graaff Journal: Caries Res Date: 1991 Impact factor: 4.056
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Authors: A C R Tanner; R L Kent; P Lif Holgerson; C V Hughes; C Y Loo; E Kanasi; N I Chalmers; I Johansson Journal: J Dent Res Date: 2011-08-25 Impact factor: 6.116
Authors: Natalia I Chalmers; Kevin Oh; Christopher V Hughes; Nooruddin Pradhan; Eleni Kanasi; Ygal Ehrlich; Floyd E Dewhirst; Anne C R Tanner Journal: J Oral Microbiol Date: 2015-02-03 Impact factor: 5.474
Authors: Erin L Gross; Clifford J Beall; Stacey R Kutsch; Noah D Firestone; Eugene J Leys; Ann L Griffen Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-10-16 Impact factor: 3.240