Dermatoglyphic interpretation of dental caries and its correlation to salivary bacteria interactions: an in vivo study.
BACKGROUND
Dental caries is defined as an infectious disease of microbial origin which is related to every specialty of dentistry in one or the other way. Genetic susceptibility to dental caries is dependent on certain factors, which if evaluated, can help in estimating disease situation prematurely. The present study was done to estimate dermatoglyphic dependence of dental caries and its relation with salivary bacteria levels, primarily Streptococcus mutans.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if there is any significant correlation between salivary bacteria interactions, dermatoglyphics, and dental caries.


METHODS
In the present study, 90 subjects were evaluated for dermatoglyphics in conjunction with bacteria levels.


METHODS
Dermatoglyphic interpretation was done using stamp-pad method and S. mutans levels were estimated by microbial culture of salivary samples collected.


METHODS
Z-test (standard normal variate, proportion) was used to analyze dermatoglyphic patterns and bacteria levels.


CONCLUSIONS
1. Subject group had a decreased frequency of loops, whereas control group had an increased frequency of loops on all palmar digits. 2. Subject group had high S. mutans growth, whereas control group had low S. mutans growth. Subject group had positive correlation with loops and S. mutans growth likened to control group that had negative correlation with both.
Sharma
A
A
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, D.J. College of Dental Sciences and Research, Modinagar, Ghaziabad, India.
Somani
R
R
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000235:genetics*; D003878:Dermatoglyphics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000302:isolation & purification