title: Bacteriological analysis of necrotic pulp and fistulae in primary teeth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary teeth work as guides for the eruption of permanent dentition, contribute for the development of the jaws, chewing process, preparing food for digestion, and nutrient assimilation. Treatment of pulp necrosis in primary teeth is complex due to anatomical and physiological characteristics and high number of bacterial species present in endodontic infections. The bacterial presence alone or in association in necrotic pulp and fistula samples from primary teeth of boys and girls was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Necrotic pulp (103) and fistula (7) samples from deciduous teeth with deep caries of 110 children were evaluated. Bacterial morphotypes and species from all clinical samples were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A predominance of gram-positive cocci (81.8%) and gram-negative coccobacilli (49.1%) was observed. In 88 out of 103 pulp samples, a high prevalence of Enterococcus spp. (50%), Porphyromonas gingivalis (49%), Fusobacterium nucleatum (25%) and Prevotella nigrescens (11.4%) was observed. Porphyromonas gingivalis was detected in three out of seven fistula samples, Enterococcus spp. in two out of seven samples, and F. nucleatum, P. nigrescens and D. pneumosintes in one out of seven samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that Enterococcus spp. and P. gingivalis were prevalent in necrotic pulp from deciduous teeth in boys from 2 to 5 years old, and that care of the oral cavity of children up to five years of age is important.
authors.affiliation: Anaerobe Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonio Scalco
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.affiliation: Anaerobe Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.affiliation: Anaerobe Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mario Julio
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Avila-Campos
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003751:Dental Fistula / Q000382:microbiology*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D003790:Dental Pulp Necrosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial