title: Salivary lactobacilli and yeasts in relation to caries increment. Annually repeated measurements versus a single determination.
abstract: The purpose was to compare annually repeated measurements with a single determination of salivary lactobacilli and yeasts in distinguishing subjects with high and low caries increments. The determinations were carried out using Dentocult and Oricult chair-side methods in connection with a 3-year oral health preventive program. The subjects were institutionalized Hungarian children (n = 257), ranging from six to eleven years of age. The data were analyzed by comparing the age-adjusted means of caries increment in subjects with positive and negative microbiological findings. In comparison with a single determination, two or three annual measurements of the tests proved to increase the ability to distinguish subjects with respect to the 3-year caries increment. The analysis of the repeated measurements providing longitudinal information of these microorganisms probably included the time factor required for development of caries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pienihäkkinen
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002674:Child, Institutionalized; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D015003:Yeasts / Q000302:isolation & purification