Caries risk assessment from dental plaque and salivary Streptococcus mutans counts on two culture media.
This study attempted to determine which combination of plaque or saliva, and tryptic soy agar, bacitracin (TSY20B) or mitis salivarius, bacitracin media, yielded the highest caries-predictive values for mutans counts in children with different caries prevalence. Sixty children were divided into three equally sized groups: caries free, low caries and high caries. Eighteen months later, their caries incidence and initial mutans count were compared. Fissure plaque on TSY20B yielded a high correlation between mutans counts and caries prevalence (P<0.009, r=3346) and incidence (P<0.003, r=4521). The caries-predictive values obtained demonstrate that the coefficient of variation of mutans counts from lower first-molar fissure plaque on TSY20B accounts for 20.4% of the variation in final caries index. This strong correlation provides a valuable tool for the identification of caries-prone individuals.
Sánchez-Pérez
L
L
Health Attention Department, Metropolitan Autonomous University, Xochimilco Unit, Mexico City, Mexico. tlsperez@cueyatl.uam.mx
Acosta-Gío
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AE
D000362:Agar; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003470:Culture Media; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000254:growth & development*
D003470:Culture Media; D000362:Agar