Relationship between dental caries experience of a group of Japanese kindergarten children and the results of two caries activity tests conducted on their saliva and dental plaque

Abstract

Summary. To establish a dental caries preventive programme in 4‐ and 5‐year‐old children, caries activity tests were used to assess salivary levels of mutans streptococci (using the Mucount® test, Showa Yakuhin, Japan) and the acidogenic ability of dental plaque bacteria (using the Cariostat® test, Sankin, Japan) in 260 kindergarten children. The relationships between the results of these two tests and the dental caries experience (dfs) of the children was evaluated. There was a significant positive correlation between the results of the Mucount and Cariostat tests in the total group of subjects. However, 91 subjects (35%) gave conflicting results with the two tests. These subjects were divided into two groups: one group (group B) included Mucount‐negative and Cariostat‐positive subjects, and the other group (group C) included Mucount‐positive and Cariostat‐negative subjects. Group B had a significantly higher mean dfs score than a group that was negative on both tests (group A). On the other hand, no significant difference in mean dfs score was observed between group C and group A. These findings suggested that mutans streptococci levels alone are an insufficient indicator for assessing dental caries activity of children at these ages and that the role of lactobacilli and other aciduric bacteria should be considered. It was concluded that assessment of caries activity using both Mucount and Cariostat tests is useful for a dental caries preventive programme for children of these ages. Resumé. Pour mettre en place un programme de prévention chez des enfants âgés de 4 et 5 ans, des tests d'activité carieuse ont été utilisés pour mesurer le taux de Streptocoques mutans (test Mucocount, Showa Yakuhin Japon) et le pouvoir acidogénique des bactéries de la plaque dentaire (test Cariostat, Sankin, Japon) chez 260 enfants d'écoles maternelles. La corrélation entre les réponses à ces deux tests et le nombre de caries a été étudiée. Cette corrélation était positive de façon significative entre les résultats aux tests Mucount et Cariostat pour les deux groupes. Mais 91 sujets (35%) ont donné des résultats discordants. Ces sujets ont été divisés en deux groupes; un groupe (groupe B) négatif au Mucount et positif au Cariostat et l'autre (groupe C) positif au Mucount et négatif au Cariostat Le groupe B avait obtenu une moyenne plus élevée de l'indice– dfs – de façon significative que le groupe A (négatif aux deux tests) mais aucune différence significative de la moyenne—dfs‐entre les groupes C et A. Ces résultats montreraient que le taux de Streptocoque mutans est un indicateur insuffisant de l'activité carieuse chez les enfants de cet âge et que le rôle des lactobacilles et d'autres bactéries acidogénes devrait être réévalué. En conclusion, les deux tests Cariostat et Mucount doivent être utilisês pour êtablir un programme de prévention chez les enfants de cet âge. Zusammenfassung. Kariesaktivitätproben an 260 Kindergarten Kinder, wurden benutzt, um den Speichelanteil an Mutans Streptokokken (durch Mucount test, Showa Yakuhin...

Salivary Biomarkers in Caries Affected and Caries Free Children

“…Saliva flow rate is considered a potential risk factor when the unstimulated salivary flow rate is lower than 0.30 mL/min [11][12][13].…”

Clinical, Salivary and Bacterial Markers on the Orthodontic Treatment

“…There are numerous reports of a positive correlation between the presence of mutans streptococci and caries increase (Ansai et al, 1994;Heintze et al, 1999;Larmas, 1992;Niwa & Fukuda, 1989;Tanzer et al, 2001).…”

“…Weakly bind to the enamel surfaces, are lazy in their nutritional requirements, are acidogenic and aciduric. They are located in the undercut areas of the tooth, such as defects or margins of fillings or orthodontic bands (Ansai et al, 1994;Heintze et al, 1999;Menaker et al, 1986;Tanzer et al, 2001).…”

“…An unstimulated salivary <0.30 mL/min it is considered like risk factor (Ansai et al, 1994;Harris & García-Godoy, 2001;Fenoll-Palomares et al, 2004;Larmas, 1992;Leone, 2001;Zárate et al, 2004).…”

“…It contains a high concentration of sucrose tryptose growth inhibitor of Gram-negative bacteria, with two types of indicators (green bromocresol and purple) to reveal visually the pH decrease in dental plaque (Ansai et al, 1994;Kornman, 2005;Nishimura et al, 1988aNishimura et al, , 2008b.…”