Prevention of Streptococcus mutans infection of tooth surfaces by salivary antibody in Irus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis).
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Four irus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were immunized with Streptococcus mutans 6715 killed cells and cell products by injection in the vicinity of the major salivary glands and by instillation into the parotid glands via the ducts. After immune group and a sham-immunized control group of monkeys were infected orally with viable strain 6715 organisms. Dental plaque samples were taken at intervals from the buccal and lingual grooves of the first permanent molars. These samples were evaluated for recovery of strain 6715 by cultural methods. In addition, individual samples were taken from 10 representative tooth surfaces and were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescent staining for strain 6715. Results showed that immune monkeys had fewer infected surfaces and fewer organisms on the infected surfaces than the control animals. These studies indicate that salivary antibody to cariogenic streptococci inhibits implantation of these organisms in dental plaque and may be protective against dental caries. (+info)
Virulence of Streptococcus mutans: a sensitive method for evaluating cariogenicity in young gnotobiotic rats.
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Gnotobiotic rats infected with Streptococcus mutans 6715 at 19 days of age and fed a purified diet (305) containing 5% sucrose developed extensive caries lesions on all molar surfaces within 16 days (35 days of age). Approximately twice as many lesions developed when infected rats were maintained until 45 days of age, whereas noninfected rats did not develop caries when fed diet 305. Gnotobiotic rats infected with S. mutans 6715 and fed a purified diet containing no sucrose (300) until day 25 and subsequently fed diet 305 for 10 days developed lesions similar to rats fed diet 305 for 16 days. Furthermore, rats infected with S. mutans 6715 and fed diet 300 until 45 days of age developed approximately one-half the smooth surface lesions as infected rats fed diet 305 for the same length of time. The level of caries on buccal and proximal molar surfaces in 45-day-old gnotobiotic rats varied when animals were infected with S. mutans AHT, BHT, NCTC 10449, 6715, or LM-7. Animals infected with S. mutans AHT showed more severe lesions on the buccal surfaces than those observed in animals infected with the other strains of S. mutans tested, whereas S. mutans 6715 caused significantly more caries on proximal surfaces. On the other hand, rats infected with S. mutans LM-7 exhibited the lowest level of caries on all molar surfaces of the five strains of S. mutans tested. (+info)
Intake of sweet foods and counts of cariogenic microorganisms in obese and normal-weight women.
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OBJECTIVE: To study the intake of sweet foods in obese and normal-weight women, while also taking menstrual cycle effects on eating behaviour into consideration. An objective test of the intake of sugar-containing foods was introduced by measuring salivary counts of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli. DESIGN: A cross-sectional comparison of the intake of sweet foods in obese and normal-weight women. The obese women were also studied longitudinally after 10 weeks in a weight reduction programme. SUBJECTS: Obese (n=72, body mass index (BMI) 42.0+/-5.2 kg/m2) and normal-weight women (n=67, BMI 22.2+/-1.6 kg/m2) participated. RESULTS: Mutans streptococci in saliva were higher in obese than in normal-weight women (P<0.0001), although the reported habitual daily intake of sweet foods did not differ. Of the menstruating women, 80% of the obese subjects and 62% of the normal-weight ones (P<0.05) reported periods during the menstrual cycle with an 'extra large' intake of sweet foods; these intakes were higher in obese than in normal-weight women (P<0.01). The obese women reduced their intake of sweet foods after 10 weeks of weight reduction, although these changes were not pronounced enough to significantly affect the counts of cariogenic microorganisms. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to most previous cross-sectional studies, this study shows that obese women have a higher intake of sweet foods, especially pre-menstrually. This was indicated by higher salivary counts of cariogenic microorganisms. SPONSORSHIP: Karolinska Institute Research Funds. (+info)
Sugar consumption and caries risk: a systematic review.
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This systematic review addresses the question: In the modern age of extensive fluoride exposure, do individuals with a high level of sugar intake experience greater caries severity relative to those with a lower level of intake? The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for English-language papers published between 1980 and 2000 using a search expression developed in conjunction with an experienced librarian. There were 809 papers located in the initial search. A review of titles and abstracts to identify clearly irrelevant papers reduced this number to 134. Two readers each read one half of these papers, and application of predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria reduced this number of papers to sixty-nine. Criteria were established for scoring the quality of each of these papers on evidence tables. The maximum score for each paper was 100; the sixty-nine papers rated scored between 12 and 79. Final judgment of results was limited to those thirty-six papers that scored 55 or higher on the evidence tables and that reported studies carried out in countries where there is moderate-to-extensive fluoride exposure. Results showed that only two papers found a strong relationship between sugar consumption and caries development, sixteen found a moderate relationship, and eighteen found weak-to-no relationship. It was concluded that the relationship between sugar consumption and caries is much weaker in the modern age of fluoride exposure than it used to be. Controlling the consumption of sugar remains a justifiable part of caries prevention, however, if not always the most important aspect. (+info)
Elderly Canadians residing in long-term care hospitals: Part II. Dental caries status.
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BACKGROUND: Dental caries has been identified as a significant problem for elderly residents of long-term care (LTC) hospitals in developed countries, yet little recent information is available for the Canadian population. OBJECTIVE: To document the caries status of elderly dentate residents of intermediate and extended LTC hospitals in Vancouver and surrounding communities. METHODS: A dentist examined the teeth of 369 elderly dentate hospital residents (coronal and root surfaces) for caries. The medical, dietary, oral microbial, oral hygiene and dental status of the same subjects are documented and discussed in a companion article. RESULTS: Two hundred and ninety (78.6%) of the subjects had at least one carious lesion; 186 (50.4%) had coronal caries and 254 (68.8%) had root caries. On average, each subject had 3.8 carious teeth. The residents of extended LTC hospitals had significantly more carious coronal surfaces. Lactobacillus scores were correlated with the DMFS (decayed, missing, filled surfaces), the number of carious coronal lesions, the number of carious surfaces and the plaque index, but Streptococcus mutans scores were correlated only with DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the prevalence of dental caries among the elderly residents of LTC hospitals in this study was high, although almost half of the subjects had visited community dentists within the previous 5 years. Caries prevention strategies (specifically diet, oral hygiene and antimicrobial agents) rather than treatment alone may be needed to control caries in this susceptible population. (+info)
Effect of a Brazilian regional basic diet on the prevalence of caries in rats.
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The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of a regional basic diet (RBD) on the prevalence of caries in the molar teeth of rats of both sexes aged 23 days. The animals were divided into six groups of 10 rats each receiving the following diets for 30 and 60 days after weaning: RBD, a cariogenic diet, and a commercial diet. The prevalence and penetration of caries in the molar teeth of the rats was then analyzed. The RBD produced caries in 37.5% of the teeth of animals fed 30 days, and in 83.4% of animals fed 60 days, while the cariogenic diet produced caries in 72.5% and 77.5% of the teeth of animals fed 30 and 60 days, respectively. Rats fed the RBD for 30 days had caries in the enamel in 38% of their teeth, 48% had superficial dentin caries, and 7.5% moderate dentin caries. The effect of the RBD did not differ significantly from that of the cariogenic diet in terms of the presence of caries in rats fed 60 days. The penetration depth of the caries produced by the RBD was the same as that produced by the cariogenic diet. Our results show that the RBD has the same cariogenic potential as the cariogenic diet. Since the RBD is the only option for the low-income population, there should be a study of how to compensate for the cariogenicity of this diet. (+info)
Caries prevalence and risk factors among children aged 0 to 36 months.
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The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of caries and risk factors in outpatients of the Pediatric Ambulatory of the Pedro Ernesto University Hospital aging up to 36 months. After signing informed consent forms, the parents answered a structured questionnaire in order to evaluate risk factors for dental caries, including socioeconomic status, oral hygiene and dietary habits. A single investigator carried out the dental examination which assessed the presence of caries, biofilm and gingival bleeding. The data were analyzed by means of the Epi Info program, utilizing the chi-squared test. The children's mean age was 22.9 months. The prevalence of caries, including white spot lesions, was 41.6%, and the mean def-s was 1.7 (+/- 2.5). The most affected teeth were the maxillary incisors, and the most common lesion was the white spot. No significant associations were found between the prevalence of caries and socioeconomic status, frequency of oral hygiene, nocturnal bottle- and breast-feeding or cariogenic food and beverage intake during the day. However, the association between caries and oral hygiene quality (dental biofilm) was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The results suggest that the presence of a thick biofilm was the most important factor for the occurrence of early childhood caries in the evaluated sample. (+info)
Dietary advice in dental practice.
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This paper aims to provide dental health professionals with practical advice to pass on to patients about diet and dental health. Sugars are the most important dietary factor contributing to dental caries. Different foods carry different dental health risks; those containing non-milk, extrinsic sugars are potentially the most damaging. In the UK, sugared soft drinks and confectionery contribute approximately 50% to total intake of non-milk extrinsic sugars. Patients should be encouraged to reduce the frequency of intake of sugary foods. Intake of acidic foods and drinks contributes to dental erosion and consumption of such foods should also be limited. Dietary advice to dental patients should be positive and personalized if possible and can be in line with dietary recommendations for general health. These are to increase the consumption of starchy staple foods (eg bread, potatoes and unsweetened cereals), vegetables and fruit and to reduce the consumption of sugary and fatty foods. (+info)