The prevalence of mutans streptococci was determined in 14,859 samples of plaque from all available tooth surfaces in 114 subjects. The clinical examination included location of incipient caries lesions, fillings, and crowns. Mutans streptococci were detected on 40% of all tooth surfaces. The frequency distribution of mutans streptococci and the level of colonization showed a decreasing gradient from molars to incisors for buccal, lingual, occlusal, and approximal surfaces. The location and number of approximal restorations were closely related to the colonization level of mutans streptococci except for second and third molars. Restored surfaces tended to be more colonized by mutans streptococci than sound surfaces, except for occlusal surfaces. A high prevalence of mutans streptococci was found in plaque samples from tooth-colored fillings, especially on buccal and lingual surfaces.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bratthall, D. (1972): Immunofluorescent Identification of Streptococcus mutans, Odontol Revy23:181-196.
2.
Burt, B.A.; Loesche, W.J.; Eklund, S.A.; and Earnest, R.W. (1983): Stability of Streptococcus mutans and its Relationship to Caries in a Child Population over 2 Years, Caries Res17:532-542.
3.
Carlsson, J. (1967): Presence of Various Types of Non-haemolytic Streptococci in Dental Plaque and in Other Sites of the Oral Cavity of Man, Odontol Revy18:55-74.
4.
Duchin, S. and Van Houte, J. (1978): Relationship of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli to Incipient Smooth Surface Dental Caries in Man, Arch Oral Biol23:779-786.
5.
Edman, D.C.; Keene, H.J.; Shklair, I.L.; and Hoerman, K.C. (1975): Dental Floss for Implantation and Sampling of Streptococcus mutans from Approximal Surfaces of Human Teeth, Arch Oral Biol20:145-148.
6.
Emilson, C.G. (1983): Prevalence of Streptococcus mutans with Different Colonial Morphologies in Human Plaque and Saliva, Scand J Dent Res91:26-32.
7.
Emilson, C.G. and Krasse, B. (1985): Support for and Implications of the Specific Plaque Hypothesis, Scand J Dent Res93 :96-104.
8.
Emilson, C.G.; Lindquist, B.; and Wennerholm, K. (1987): Recolonization of Human Tooth Surfaces by Streptococcus mutans after Suppression by Chlorhexidine Treatment, J Dent Res66 :1503-1508.
9.
Gibbons, R.J.; Depaola, P.F.; Spinell, D.M.; and Skobe, Z. (1974): Interdental Localization of Streptococcus mutans as Related to Dental Caries Experience, Infect Immun9:481-488.
10.
Gold, O.G.; Jordan, H.V.; and Van Houte, J. (1973): A Selective Medium for Streptococcus mutans, Arch Oral Biol18:1357-1364.
11.
Ikeda, T.; Sandham, H.J.; and Bradley, E.L., Jr. (1973): Changes in Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli in Plaque in Relation to the Initiation of Dental Caries in Negro Children, Arch Oral Biol18:555-566.
12.
Keene, H.J. and Brown, C.K. (1983): Colonization of Metallic and Nonmetallic Restorations by Streptococcus mutans in vivo, Clin Prevent Dent5:3-7.
13.
Keene, H.J.; Horton, J.M.; and Handler, S.F. (1981): Streptococcus mutans Approximal Plaque Index as a New Epidemiological Tool for Defining the Parameters of Streptococcus mutans Infection in Human Populations, Arch Oral Biol26:345-355.
14.
Keene, H.J.; Shklair, I.L.; and Hoerman, K.C. (1976): Partial Elimination of Streptococcus mutans from Selected Tooth Surfaces after Restoration of Carious Lesions and SnF2 Prophylaxis , J Am Dent Assoc93:328-333.
15.
Koch, G. (1967): Effect of Sodium Fluoride in Dentifrice and Mouthwash on Incidence of Dental Caries in School Children, Odontol Revy18: Suppl 12.
16.
Kristoffersson, K.; Axelsson, P.; and Bratthall, D. (1984): Effect of a Professional Tooth Cleaning Program on Interdentally Localized Streptococcus mutans, Caries Res18 :385-390.
17.
Kristoffersson, K. and Bratthall, D. (1982): Transient Reduction of Streptococcus mutans Interdentally by Chlorhexidine Gel, Scand J Dent Res90:417-422.
18.
Kohler, B.; Pettersson, B.M.; and Bratthall, D. (1981): Streptococcus mutans in Plaque and Saliva and the Development of Caries, Scand J Dent Res89:19-25.
19.
Lindquist, B.; Emilson, C.G.; and Wennerholm, K. (1989): Relationship Between Mutans Streptococci in Saliva and their Colonization of the Tooth Surfaces, Oral Microbiol Immunol4 :71-76.
20.
Loesche, W.J. (1986): Role of Streptococcus mutans in Human Dental Decay , Microbiol Rev50:353-380.
21.
Lundin, S.Å. and Emilson, C.G. (1989): Microflora in Plaque from Approximal Posterior Composite Resin Restorations, Quintessence Int20:413-416.
22.
McNamara, T.F.; Friedman, B.K.; and Kleinberg, I. (1979): The Microbial Composition of Human Incisor Tooth Plaque, Arch Oral Biol24:91-95.
23.
Meiers, J.C. and Schachtele, C.F. (1984): Fissure Removal and Needle Scraping for Evaluation of the Bacteria in Occlusal Fissures of Human Teeth , J Dent Res63:1051-1055.
24.
Meiers, J.C.; Wirthlin, M.R.; and Shklair, I.L. (1982): A Microbiological Analysis of Human Early Carious and Non-carious Fissures, J Dent Res61:460-464.
25.
Shklair, I.L.; Keene, H.J.; and Cullen, P. (1974): The Distribution of Streptococcus mutans on the Teeth of Two Groups of Naval Recruits, Arch Oral Biol19:199-202.
26.
Skjörland, K. (1973): Plaque Accumulation on Different Dental Filling Materials, Scand J Dent Res81:538-542.
Svanberg, M. and Loesche, W.J. (1978): Intraoral Spread of Streptococcus mutans in Man , Arch Oral Biol23:557-561.
29.
Syed, S.A. and Loesche, W.J. (1974): Survival of Human Dental Plaque Flora in Various Transport Media, Appl Microbiol24 :638-644.
30.
Torii, M.; Kawai, K.; Takemura, K.; and Tsuchitani, Y. (1986): Effect of Eluates from Composite Resin on Glucosyltransferase Activity, J Dent Res65 (Sp Iss):827, Abst. No. 916.
31.
Van Houte, J. and Green, D.B. (1974): Relationship Between the Concentration of Bacteria in Saliva and the Colonization of Teeth in Humans, Infect Immun9:624-630.
32.
Van Houte, J.; Gibbons, R.J.; and Pulkkinen, A.J. (1971): Adherence as an Ecological Determinant for Streptococci in the Human Mouth, Arch Oral Biol16:1131-1141.
33.
Walter, R.G. (1982): A Longitudinal Study of Caries Development in Initially Caries-free Naval Recruits, J Dent Res61 :1405-1407.
34.
Walter, R.G. and Shklair, I.L. (1982): Streptococcus mutans in Caries-free and Caries-active Naval Recruits, J Dent Res61 :1229-1232.
35.
Weitman, R.T. and Eames, W.B. (1975): Plaque Accumulation on Composite Surfaces after Various Finishing Procedures, J Am Dent Assoc91:101-106.
36.
Wennerholm, K.; Lindquist, B.; and Emilson, C.G. (1987): Mutans Streptococci on Different Tooth Surfaces - a Comparison Between Various Sampling Methods, Swed Dent J11:281-282, Abst. No. 26.
