title: Correlation among mutans streptococci counts, dental caries, and IgA to Streptococcus mutans in saliva.
abstract: Two-hundred and forty individuals were studied, divided into five groups as follows: caries-free children, children with caries, children with rampant caries, young adults with and without caries. Whole stimulated saliva was collected and all individuals were investigated for DMFT/dmft according to the WHO criteria and the simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S). Quantitative analysis of the total aerobic flora and mutans streptococci in saliva was performed. Also, the level of salivary anti-S. mutans IgA was determined by ELISA. Children with rampant caries showed the highest OHI-S value. The highest total counts of microorganisms were found in the group of children with caries. No statistically significant differences were observed for salivary flow, OHI-S and microorganism counts between the groups of young adults. No correlation between mutans streptococci counts and anti-Streptococcus mutans IgA levels was observed in the studied groups. A correlation between increased anti-Streptococcus mutans IgA levels and caries-free status was observed among young adults but not among children.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis--School of Dentistry of São Jose dos Campos, São Paulo State University.
authors.forename: Cristiane Yumi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Koga-Ito
authors.forename: Clélia Aparecida Paiva de
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Balducci
authors.forename: Antonio Olavo Cardoso
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Jorge
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory