title: Prevalence and localization of Streptococcus mutans in infants and children.
abstract: The prevalence and localization of Streptococcus mutans in the oral cavities of 92 children was investigated. The ages of the children ranged from newborns to 5 years. The edentulous newborns and infants with only their deciduous incisors did not harbor S mutans on the mucous membranes or the smooth surfaces of the incisors. As the number of erupted deciduous teeth increased, there was a gradual increase in the isolation of the organism. The greatest isolation frequency of S mutans, 46.3%, occurred in those children with a complete deciduous dentition and contact between the deciduous molars. The interproximal areas where there was molar contact were the most frequent sites of early colonization of S mutans.
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000382:microbiology