›› 2019, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (3): 131-134.

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Relationship between Streptococcus mutans in saliva and the existing status or development of primary dental caries

  

  • Received:2018-12-25 Revised:2019-04-07 Online:2019-09-25 Published:2019-09-25
  • Supported by:
    Science and Technology Subsidized Project supported by Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission

Abstract: [Abstract] Objective: To study the relationship between the infection level of Streptococcus mutans in saliva and the existing status or development of primary dental caries, and evaluate the effect of Dentocult SM as a method of Caries Activity Test (CAT). Methods: The subjects, 223 children aged 2-4 years, were checked by oral examination and Dentocult SM test to detect the infection level of Streptococcus mutans in saliva. Caries incidence, decayed-missing-filled tooth (dmft), decayed-missing-filled surface (dmfs) and Caries Severity Index(CSI) were calculated respectively. One more oral examination was conducted two years later. And the relevant statistics was carried out. Results:The caries incidence, dmft, dmfs and CSI of the two oral examinations increased with rising Dentocult SM grade, and the difference of dmft, dmfs and CSI between the two oral examinations also increased with the rising Dentocult SM grade (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in caries incidence between the two oral examinations among different Dentocult SM grades (P>0.05). Dentocult SM grades were highly positively correlated with dmft, dmfs, CSI of the two oral examinations and also their increase in two years. Conclusions: There are significant positive correlations between the infection level of Streptococcus mutans in saliva and the existing status or development of primary dental caries, and Dentocult SM test is a reliable and effective CAT method.

Key words: [Key words] Caries, Caries activity test, Streptococcus mutans, Dentocult SM