title: Supragingival plaque microbial analysis in reflection to caries experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental caries develops as a result of the metabolism of carbohydrates by cariogenic bacteria present in a complex biofilm. The present study aimed to examine if bacteria in pooled supragingival plaque samples quantified using a "checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization" based panel of caries-related bacteria, could reflect the caries experience in a manner similar to saliva samples analysed using a chair-side method in a previous investigation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 86 mothers and their children aged 4-6 years and 12-16 years old participated. Caries experience (DMFT/dmft; Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth for permanent and primary teeth) was registered clinically and radiographically. Caries was recorded at the D3 level (caries into dentine). The D/d component was divided into three categories. A pooled supragingival plaque sample per participant was obtained from posterior approximal sites. Analyses of 15 bacterial species were performed using the checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridisation technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant relationships were found between the bacterial scores and DMFT/dmft nor D/d groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unlike the saliva samples and the chair-side method, interproximal pooled plaque samples analysed using the "checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization technique" did not reveal any significant relations between the bacterial counts and the caries experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology, Institute of Odontology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 450, Gothenburg, SE-405 30, Sweden. alaa.mannaa@odontologi.gu.se
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mannaa
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carlén
authors.forename: Guglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Campus
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lingström
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial