Oral malodor in children and volatile sulfur compound-producing bacteria in saliva: preliminary microbiological investigation.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined and compared levels of salivary bacteria which produced volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) in young children with and without oral malodor.


METHODS
Clinic populations of children aged two to seven years, whose parents presented with an unsolicited major complaint of oral malodor in their child (OM+), or aged-matched controls in whom oral malodor was not detected by parents (OM-), were investigated. Saliva specimens were cultured anaerobically on media that differentiated VSC+ bacteria. These were quantified and identified. Levels in OM+ and OM- children were compared and statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
OM+ children harbored significantly higher levels of VSC+ isolates in saliva than OM- children (OM+ = 44% of total viable counts, TVC; OM- = 24% of TVC; P = 0.0083). Types of recovered bacterial species did not differ in the two groups, but levels of Prevotella oralis were significantly higher in OM+ children (P = 0.0001). Veillonella species followed by P. oralis were the predominant VSC+ isolates recovered in both populations.


CONCLUSIONS
VSC+ salivary bacteria may differ both in type and quantity in young children with and without parent-perceived oral malodor.
Paryavi-Gholami
F
F
Department of Oral and Crainofacial Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Dental School, Baltimore, USA.
Minah
G E
GE
Turng
B F
BF
D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003470:Culture Media; D006209:Halitosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D013457:Sulfur Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D014835:Volatilization
D003470:Culture Media; D013457:Sulfur Compounds