Mutans streptococci and lactobacilli in the elderly.
The prevalence of salivary mutans streptococci and lactobacilli, salivary flow rate, and the type of dentition were studied in connection with a medical survey of 76-, 81-, and 86-yr-old inhabitants of Helsinki living at home. High bacterial counts were associated with low salivary flow rates. High counts of mutans streptococci (> 10(6) CFU/ml) were found in 68% of wearers of full dentures, as compared with 53% of subjects having natural teeth. High counts of lactobacilli (< 10(6) CFU/ml) were found in 44% of subjects having removable partial dentures and in 39% of subjects having natural teeth. The bacterial counts correlated neither with medicines taken daily nor with diseases among this population.
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Finland.
T O
TO
Närhi
A
A
Ainamo
J H
JH
Meurman
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002021:Buffers; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003817:Dentition; D003824:Denture, Complete; D003832:Denture, Partial, Removable; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000382:microbiology; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000382:microbiology; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000382:microbiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D012636:Secretory Rate; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D002021:Buffers