Humoral IgG Antibodies to Oral Microbiota in a Population at Risk for Root-surface Caries

Abstract

Mutans streptococci have been strongly implicated in the initiation of dental caries on coronal surfaces. Their role in development of root-surface caries is less clear. The etiologic agents of both types of dental caries are likely to elicit systemic immune responses. The objective of the present study, therefore, was to study the association of clinical variables of disease with humoral IgG antibodies to nine oral micro-organisms in 314 adult subjects, aged 45-65 years, who were at risk for root-surface caries. Antibody activity to Streptococcus mutans strain Ingbritt, S. mutans / S. sobrinus GTFs, S. faecalis strain 19433, Actinomyces viscosus strain WVU 626, Actinomyces naeslundii strain 12, Lactobacillus casei, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans strain Y4, Porphyromonas gingivalis strain 381, Eikenella corrodens strain 1073, and Wolinella recta strain 371 was measured by ELISA. Pearson correlation coefficients among log₁₀ antibody levels within subjects revealed marked positive correlations among subgingival bacteria, generally weak positive correlations among supragingival micro-organisms, and no correlations between elements of the supragingival battery with the subgingival battery. IgG antibody levels to mutans streptococcal antigens were significantly correlated with subject DMF scores (r = 0.23; p < 0.0001). No significant correlation was seen between DMF scores and antibody to any other supragingival micro-organism tested. Further relationships between levels of S. mutans antibody and individual clinical variables were analyzed by step-wise multiple linear regression, resulting in a model that was highly significant (p = 0.0001), with an r² = 0.14. Numbers of missing teeth, coronal caries, root-surface caries, and root-surface restorations were each positively associated with antibody levels to mutans streptococci. The model indicated that the associations seen with S. mutans antibody reflected previous encounters with S. mutans antigens, since this model emphasized cumulative caries experience over measures reflecting a subject's current status. These observations strengthen the association between S. mutans and dental caries on coronal surfaces and suggest a further association with caries on root surfaces.

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