Associations of dental caries with salivary mutans streptococci and acid producing bacteria in 5-year-old children from KwaZulu and Namibia.
Two hundred and eighty-five, 5-year-old children from rural and urban KwaZulu and Namibia were examined for dental caries, salivary mutans streptococci and salivary acid producing bacteria. The findings showed statistically significant correlations between salivary mutans streptococci counts and ds and dmfs scores in all groups of children, the highest values being in Namibian children. Salivary acid forming bacteria had low correlations with few statistically significant groups. While salivary mutans streptococci counts may be a useful caries screening method in children of this age, salivary acid forming bacterial counts appear unsuitable.
Boardman
M
M
Dental Research Institute, MRC/University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesbury, South Africa.
Cleaton-Jones
P
P
Jones
C
C
Hargreaves
J A
JA
D000143:Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D009276:Namibia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012423:Rural Health; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000382:microbiology; D014504:Urban Health; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
D000143:Acids; D005459:Fluorides