Streptococcus mutans and dental caries in humans: a bacteriological and immunological study.
Plaque samples from caries-active subjects showed a higher incidence of S. mutans than plaque samples from caries-free subjects. This was especially evident in approximal incisor plaque. S. mutans serotype d was almost exclusively present in approximal plaque obtained from caries-active subjects. Tooth surfaces infected with S. mutans still harbored this micro-organism 10 months later, while uninfected tooth surfaces remained free of S. mutans. Caries development predominantly occurs on those tooth surfaces which harbor relatively high percentages of S. mutans (> 5%). It is unlikely that serum or saliva antibodies against S. mutans play a major role in the protection against dental caries in these caries-free subjects since subjects with the greatest number of decayed surfaces showed the highest antibody titre as measured by haemagglutination or by the enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA).
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D009426:Netherlands; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial