[Comparison of the sucrose dependent cell adherence of Streptococcus mutans isolates from caries-active and caries-free children].
OBJECTIVE
To study the sucrose dependent cell adhesive ability of Streptococcus mutans islolated from the caries-active and caries-free children.


METHODS
60 isolated Streptococcus mutans strains were selected and identified from the dental plaque of 10 caries-active children and 10 caries-free children (3 to 5 years), in which 39 strains were from caries-active group(dmfs>or=6) and 21 strains from caries-free group(dmfs=0). With the use of ultraviolet spectrophotometer, the sucrose dependent cell adherence to glass wall of the sucrose-containing testing tubes was analyzed. One-way ANOVA was used by SPSS12.0 software package to determine the statistical difference of the adhesive ability between the two groups.


RESULTS
The average adhesive ratio of the Streptococcus mutans strains isolated from caries-active group was 55.49%+26.16% in the 1% sucrose-containing culture medium, while the average adhesive ratio of the Streptococcus mutans strains isolated from caries-free group was 27.01%+18.39%. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
In the sucrose-containing circumstance, the sucrose dependent cell adhesive ability of the Streptococcus mutans isolated from the caries-active children was significantly higher than that from the caries-free children. This indicated that the adhesive ability may be related to the caries-causing tendency.
Department of Endodontics, College of Stomatology, Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China.
Shan-fen
SF
Ma
Rui
R
Ma
Yun-tao
YT
Jiang
Jing-ping
JP
Liang
D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology*; D003773:Dental Plaque; D006801:Humans; D013295:Streptococcus mutans; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism*
D013395:Sucrose