Effect of Mutans streptococcal colonization on plaque formation and regrowth in young children--a brief commnunication.
OBJECTIVE
Visible plaque on the maxillary anterior teeth of young children has been identified as a risk indicator for early childhood caries. The present study examined whether this plaque is related to the colonization of children's teeth with Mutans streptococci (MS) or toothbrushing frequency.


METHODS
Thirty-nine children, aged 12 to 36 months, had plaque scores, and plaque samples were taken from the labial surfaces of the maxillary incisors at baseline and repeated 3 days after suspended oral hygiene (plaque regrowth).


RESULTS
A positive correlation was found between the baseline percent MS and regrowth plaque score and between baseline and regrowth plaque scores. Plaque scores of those that brushed zero to one time a day were not different from those who brushed two or more times a day.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the presence of plaque on the anterior teeth of young children is consistent and related to MS colonization.
Lee
Christian
C
Dental School, University of Maryland, Baltimore 21201, USA.
Tinanoff
Norman
N
Minah
Glenn
G
Romberg
Elaine
E
D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000254:growth & development*; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data