title: [Analysis of microbial diversity of supra-gingival plaque in dental caries].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the microbial composition and differences in dental plaque of caries and caries-free adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Caries-active (n = 16) was defined as an individual who had at least three untreated decayed tooth and decayed-missing-filled-tooth (DMFT) score greater than 6. Caries-free (n = 16) was defined as an individual who had a DMFT score equal to zero. The patients were 18-35 years old. Samples from supra-gingival plaque were obtained and PCR-denaturing gel electrophoresis cloning and sequencing of caries pathogens were used to catch the core microbial of dental caries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six phylum, 28 genus and 88 species were detected. In caries group, Prevotella, Capnocytophaga, Actinomyces, Veillonella and Corynebacterium were predominant, accounting for 56.2% (334/594) of the total cloning number of caries group. Caries-free group contained more predonminant genus than caries group. Prevotella, Veillonella, Capnocytophaga, Corynebacterium, Streptococcus, Actinomyces, Aggregatibacter and Neisseria were predominant, accounting for 65.2% (354/543) of the total cloning number of caries-free group. Caries group had less diversity than the caries-free group. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caries might be caused by potentially pathogenic microbial communities rather than a single pathogen. In the progress of dental caries, the microbial diversity decreased.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Capital Medical University School of Stomatology, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Weiyue
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Email: houbenxiang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Benxiang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D005881:Gingiva / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans