Effect of a preventive program on dental caries and mutans streptococci in Polish schoolchildren

Dental caries is one of the most common childhood diseases, and people continue to be susceptible to it throughout their lives. Although dental caries can be arrested and potentially even reversed in its early stages, it is often not self-limiting and progresses without proper care until the tooth is destroyed. Early childhood caries (ECC) is often complicated by inappropriate feeding practices and heavy infection with mutans streptococci. Such children should be targeted with a professional preventive program that includes oral hygiene instructions for mothers or caregivers, along with fluoride and diet counseling. However, these strategies alone are not sufficient to prevent dental caries in high-risk children; prevention of ECC also requires addressing the socioeconomic factors that face many families in which ECC is endemic. The aim of this paper is to systematically review information about ECC and to describe why many children are suffering from dental caries.

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Observational Study Regarding the Relationship between Nutritional Status, Dental Caries, Mutans Streptococci, and Lactobacillus Bacterial Colonies

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18073551 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (7) ◽

pp. 3551

Author(s):

Eugen Silviu Bud ◽

Cristina Ioana Bica ◽

Oana Elena Stoica ◽

Alexandru Vlasa ◽

Daniela Eșian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dental Caries ◽

Observational Study ◽

Nutritional Status ◽

Positive Association ◽

Mutans Streptococci ◽

Permanent Teeth ◽

Deciduous Teeth ◽

Dmft Index ◽

The Relationship ◽

Significant Health

The prevalence of dental caries and obesity is high as both raise significant health problems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between dental caries, the number of salivary colonies forming units of Mutans Streptococci (MS) and Lactobacillus (LB), and the nutritional status in a group of children from Transylvania. This observational study used a sample of 154 school children, aged 9 to 12 years. The prevalence of caries was measured using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth index for deciduous teeth (dmft index) and for permanent teeth (DMFT index). Height and weight were assessed for each subject, and their body mass index (BMI) percentile was calculated. Salivary levels of Mutans Streptococci (MS) and Lactobacillus (LB) were determined using the CRT Bacteria Test from Ivoclar Vivadent. In our study, we found a positive association between the BMI percentile, MS count, LB count, tooth brushing frequency, and the incidence of dental caries in children aged 9 to 12 years old. Future preventive programs should include nutrition control in order to prevent both the apparition of dental caries and obesity in children.

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Streptococcus Mutans Strains in Mother-Child Pairs of Children with Early Childhood Caries

Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry ◽

10.17796/1053-4625-43.4.5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 252-256 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Priya Subramaniam ◽

Revathy Suresh

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Dental Caries ◽

Streptococcus Mutans ◽

Early Childhood Caries ◽

Mutans Streptococci ◽

Similar Distribution ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Only Children ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Childhood Caries

Objective: Dental caries is both an infectious and transmissible disease. Maternal transfer of Mutans Streptococci occurs at an early age and is important in the initiation of dental caries in children. The aim of this study was to identify certain strains of Streptococcus mutans in mother-child pairs, of children with early childhood caries. Study design: Sixty mother-child pairs of healthy children aged 18–36 months were selected. Mothers with high levels of Streptococcus mutans in their saliva and only children with ECC were included. Dental plaque samples were collected from mother-child pairs. The plaque samples were stored, transferred to the laboratory and analyzed for Streptococcus mutans strains c, f, e and k, present in mother-child pairs using Real time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique. Data obtained was subjected to statistical analysis for level of similarity in Streptococcus mutans strains present in mother-child pairs. Results: A similar distribution of Streptococcus mutans strains c, f and k was identified in 28 mother-child pairs. Streptococcus mutans strain e was seen in 18 pairs. Conclusion: Less than 50% of mother-child pairs showed similarity in distribution of Streptococcus mutans strains.

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A REVIEW ON MICROBIAL ECOLOGY OF MUTANS STREPTOCOCCI IN HUMAN MOUTH

International Journal of Advanced Research ◽

10.21474/ijar01/12203 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 720-730

Author(s):

Apoorva Mehrotra ◽

◽

Mohammad Iqbal ◽

Waleed Khalil Al Dahlawi ◽

WalaSaad Al Raddadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dental Caries ◽

Microbial Ecology ◽

Mutans Streptococci ◽

Oral Infections ◽

Complex Group

The streptococci constitute a large and complex group of bacteria that have widely varying characteristics and that under certain conditions are capable of independent pathogenicity. In human mouth, the viridians streptococci are one of the main groups of bacteria and they are the most commonly occurring microorganisms in oral infections including dental caries.

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Caries risk in children: determined by levels of mutans streptococci and Lactobaccilus

Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry ◽

10.17796/jcpd.29.4.16156896xt539001 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 329-333 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Luis Alejandro Aguilera Galaviz ◽

Gloria Premoli ◽

Anajulia Gonzalez ◽

Rafael Aguilar Rodriguez

Keyword(s):

Dental Caries ◽

Good Predictor ◽

Risk Evaluation ◽

Mutans Streptococci ◽

Caries Risk ◽

A Value ◽

The Relationship

Lactobacullus sp. and S. mutans are microorganisms with cariogenic capacity, however, their presence do not determine the presence of dental caries.We evaluated the relationship between the presence of Lactobacillus sp. and S. mutans and dental caries in a schoolchildren population. The relation PIDMFT have a value of significance p = 0.001489. In dental caries risk evaluation, the S. mutans and Lactobacillus sp. detection in saliva is a good predictor and contributing to the caries development.

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The Role of the Pediatrician in Dental Caries Detection and Prevention

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.54.2.176 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 176-182

Author(s):

Louis W. Ripa

Keyword(s):

Dental Caries ◽

Medical Profession ◽

Dental Health ◽

Young Patients ◽

Preventive Therapy ◽

Caries Detection ◽

Acid Attack ◽

Preventive Program ◽

Published Evidence ◽

Tooth Surfaces

Dental caries is a disease that usually begins very early in life and from which few people remain unaffected. However, because caries is associated with local etiologic vectors, it can be controlled. Altering the diet to render it less cariogenic and making tooth surfaces more resistant to acid attack through the use of fluoride are two potent mechanisms of prevention. Pediatricians are in a unique position to contribute to the dental health of their young patients because of the early age at which children are brought to their offices and because mothers are accustomed to accept their recommendations. The pediatrician's role in caries control includes diagnosis, referral, and preventive therapy. Early referral of children who appear dentally healthy as well as those in which there are obvious cavities in the teeth has been stressed. As part of a caries preventive program, a system of systemic fluoride supplementation has been outlined for those children who are not drinking optimally fluoridated water. In addition, food-caries relationships have been discussed and practical suggestions for reducing the cariogenicity of a child's diet have been made. Although toothbrushing is considered a traditional method of caries prevention, it has not been discussed in this article for two reasons. First, published evidence does not conclusively support the premise that toothbrushing per se significantly reduces dental caries. Second, the results of the general efforts of the dental profession to motivate patients to adopt either meticulous or frequent brushing habits have been poor. It would be unrealistic to expect the medical profession to initiate procedures that would significantly alter the behavior of their patients' toothbrushing habits. Toothbrushing in the young child, especially the preschooler, should be regarded as another method for providing topical fluoride to the teeth. Parents should be encouraged to brush their young children's teeth as soon as they erupt. A soft, child-size toothbrush should be employed with a scrubbing motion. An anticariogenic toothpaste§ that has proven effective in controlled clinical trials should be recommended by the pediatrician or his nurse. It is hoped that the mechanisms for influencing children's dental health that were discussed in this article can be incorporated with minimum effort into the normal routine of pediatricians' practices.

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Trehalulose Does Not Induce Dental Caries in Rats Infected with Mutans Streptococci

Caries Research ◽

10.1159/000261376 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 277-282 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

T. Ooshima ◽

A. Izumitani ◽

T. Minami ◽

T. Fujiwara ◽

Y. Nakajima ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dental Caries ◽

Mutans Streptococci

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Mutans Streptococci and Dental Caries: A New Statistical Modeling Approach

Caries Research ◽

10.1159/000486103 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 52 (3) ◽

pp. 246-252 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tariq S. Ghazal ◽

Steven M. Levy ◽

Noel K. Childers ◽

Knute D. Carter ◽

Daniel J. Caplan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dental Caries ◽

Low Socioeconomic Status ◽

Survival Data ◽

Mutans Streptococci ◽

Time Dependent ◽

Caries Experience ◽

Acquisition Time ◽

Hazard Modeling ◽

Initial Caries

Survival analyses have been used to overcome some of the limitations encountered with other statistical analyses. Although extended Cox hazard modeling with time-dependent variables has been utilized in several medical studies, it has never been utilized in assessing the complex relationship between mutans streptococci (MS) acquisition (time-dependent covariate) and time to having dental caries (outcome). This study involved secondary analyses of data from a prospective study conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Low socioeconomic status, African-American preschool children from Perry County, AL, USA (n = 95) had dental examinations at age 1 year and annually thereafter until age 6 years by three calibrated dentists. Salivary MS tests were done at ages 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, and 4 years. The patterns of and relationship between initial MS detection (time-dependent covariate) and dental caries experience occurrence were assessed, using extended Cox hazard modeling. The median time without MS acquisition (50% of the children not having positive MS test) was 2 years. Approximately 79% of the children had positive salivary MS tests by the age of 4 years. The median caries experience survival (50% of the children not having dental caries) was 4 years. During the follow-up period, 65 of the children (68.4%) had their initial primary caries experience. Results of the extended Cox hazard modeling showed a significant overall/global relationship between initial caries experience event at any given time during the follow-up period and having a positive salivary MS test at any time during the follow-up period (hazard ratio = 2.25, 95% CI 1.06-4.75). In conclusion, the extended Cox modeling was used for the first time and its results showed a significant global/overall relationship between MS acquisition and dental caries. Further research using causal mediation analysis with survival data is necessary, where the mediator “presence of MS” is treated as a time-dependent variable.

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