title: Comparative cariogenicity and dental plaque-forming ability in gnotobiotic rats of four species of mutans streptococci.
abstract: The four species, each represented by two strains, all produced high levels of fissure caries in the upper and lower jaws of gnotobiotic Fisher rats. Streptococcus rattus strains and Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10832 gave low levels of approximal caries, whereas Streptococcus cricetus, Streptococcus sobrinus and Strep. mutans NCTC 10449 gave high levels. The only strains to produce buccal surface lesions were Strep. sobrinus and Strep. cricetus. All strains were able to form dense plaque in the central fissure of the second molar. Strep. cricetus, Strep. rattus and Strep. sobrinus strains were capable of producing smooth-surface plaque. This difference in plaque-forming ability did not correlate precisely with differences in cariogenicity, and such differences occurred between strains of the same species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Structural Biology, Medical School, University of Manchester, England.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Willcox
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Drucker
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013045:Species Specificity; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000472:pathogenicity*