The prevalence of oral diseases in many parts of the world is staggering. 1 Consequently, many countries have, or are developing, a large cadre of professional and auxiliary personnel trained to deliver dental services. The education of these persons has tended to stress skills for reconstructing teeth and their supporting tissues after disease has occurred; teachers in most dental schools seld...

AIM Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus are the main pathogens associated with the development of dental caries in humans. Recently, the real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR-TR) has been used for fast and exact quantification of these bacteria species. This molecular biology method has made the detection of these bacteria in saliva and dental plaque possible; additionally, i...

Dental plaque is an example of a biofilm; its presence is natural and it supports the host in its defense against invading microbes. In health, the microbial composition of dental plaque is diverse and remains relatively stable over time (microbial homeostasis). The predominant microorganisms prefer host molecules (eg, salivary mucins) and a neutral pH for growth. Under certain circumstances, t...

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.12.009 2352-3964/© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V Etiology of dental caries is crucial for disease prevention and cure. The traditional concept of dental caries is an imbalance in saliva defense, microbial load and life style habits like sugar consumption. Distinctions have been revealed between dental caries and caries-free microbiomes in terms...

BACKGROUND Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of various risk indicators for dental caries on primary teeth of Nicaraguan children (from Leon, Nicaragua) ages 6 to 9, using the negative binomial regression model. MATERIAL/METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out to collect clinical, demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral data from 794 schoolchildren ages 6 to 9 years, randomly ...

Streptococcus mutans is considered one of the primary causative agents of dental caries and can also be a source of infective endocarditis. The main virulence factors associated with cariogenicity include adhesion, acidogenicity, and acid tolerance. Each of these properties works coordinately to alter dental plaque ecology. The ecological changes are characterized by increased proportions of S....

BACKGROUND/AIMS Severe early childhood caries is a microbial infection that severely compromises the dentition of young children. The aim of this study was to characterize the microbiota of severe early childhood caries. METHODS Dental plaque samples from 2- to 6-year-old children were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing, and by specific PCR amplification for Streptococcus mut...

Objective. To provide a comprehensive overview of published evidence on the impact of erythritol, a noncaloric polyol bulk sweetener, on oral health. Methods. A literature review was conducted regarding the potential effects of erythritol on dental plaque (biofilm), dental caries, and periodontal therapy. The efficacy of erythritol on oral health was compared with xylitol and sorbitol. Results....

Dental caries is the most common infectious disease affecting humans. The principal causative agents are a group of streptococcal species collectively referred to as the mutans streptococci of which Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus are the most important agents of human caries. This review outlines what is currently known about these ubiquitous pathogens and discusses novel metho...

The purpose of this review is to summarize a systematic review evaluating the evidence regarding the association between the incidence and prevalence of dental caries and: 1) socioeconomic status; 2) tooth-brushing; and 3) the use of the baby bottle. Literature was drawn from two databases, Medline and EmBase. Because of limited resources, we did not conduct hand-searching or search unpublished...