Citation Information :
Belagatta V, Bilichodmath S. Identification and Correlation of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguinis in Caries-active and Caries-free Children: A PCR Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023; 16 (1):9-15.
Aim and objectives: Dental caries is currently considered an ecological imbalance within the oral biofilm leading to the dissolution of the tooth's hard tissues. It has been traditionally thought that two species belonging to the Streptococci group, Streptococcus mutans (SM) and Streptococcus sanguinis (SS), are the etiologically responsible for the onset of dental decay.
Materials and methods: The present in vivo study was conducted on 40 children with caries-active (CA) and caries-free (CF). They were allocated into two groups, group I (CA) = 20 and group II (CF) = 20. The whole saliva was collected into the vials with buffer solution and was stored in cold storage. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done to identify and correlate SM and SS in CA and CF children.
Results: Comparison of mean SM level between CA and CF groups showed a statistically significant result at p = 0.001. Spearman's correlation between caries score and SM showed a strong correlation of 0.77 between caries score and SM, which was statistically significant at p = 0.001. Similarly, SS and caries scores showed a weak correlation of 0.22. Simple linear regression analysis to SM and caries score showed a significant increase of 4.74 units for 1 score increase in caries score, which is statistically significant.
Conclusion: The presence of SM levels in children with caries is significant, whereas, in CF children, SS levels are present in increased levels. A strong correlation was seen between caries scores and SM. The simple linear regression analysis predicts a statistically significant increase by 4.74 units per increase of 1 score of caries at p < 0.001. As caries increase, SM count increases, but SS count decreases; as SS count increases, there is a reduction in SM counts.
Camargo EMD, Canalle JB, Copazzoli R, et al. Contribution of Streptococcus mutans virulence factors and saliva agglutinating capacity to caries susceptibility in children: a preliminary study. J Clin Pediatr Dent 2018;42(3):188–194. DOI: 10.17796/1053-4628-42.3.4
Giacaman RA, Torres S, Gómez Y, et al. Correlation of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguinis colonization and ex vivo hydrogen peroxide production in carious lesion-free and high caries adults. Arch Oral Biol. 2015;60(1):154–159. DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2014.09.007
Marsh PD. Microbiology of dental plaque biofilm and their role in oral health and caries. Dent Clin North Am 2010;54(3):441 –454. DOI: 10.1016/j.cden.2010.03.002
Loesche WJ. Role of Streptococcus mutans in human dental decay. Microbial Rev 1986;50(4):353–380. DOI: 10.1128/mr.50.4.353-380.1986
Stingu CS, Eschrich K, Rodloff AC, et al. Periodontitis is associated with a loss of colonization by Streptococcus sanguinis. J Med Microbiol 2008;57(4):495–499. DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.47649-0
Caufield PW, Dasanayake AP, Li Y, et al. Natural history of Streptococcus sanguinis in the oral cavity of infants: evidence for a discrete window of infectivity. Infect Immun 2000;68(7):4018–4023. DOI: 10.1128/IAI.68.7.4018-4023.2000
Kreth J, Merritt J, Shi W, et al. Competition and coexistence between Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguinis in the dental biofilm. J Bacteriol 2005;187(21):7193–7203. DOI: 10.1128/JB.187.21.7193-7203.2005
De Stoppelaar JD, Van Houte J, Backer Dirks O. The relationship between extracellular polysaccharide-producing streptococci and smooth surface caries in 13-year-old children. Caries Res 1969;3(2):190–199. DOI: 10.1159/000259582
Kabil NS, Badran AS, Wassel MO. Effect of the addition of chlorhexidine and miswak extract on the clinical performance and antibacterial properties of conventional glass ionomer: an in vivo study. Int J Paediatr Dent 2017;27(5):380–387. DOI: 10.1111/ipd.12273
Hamada S, Slade HD. Biology, immunology, and cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans. Microbiol Rev 1980; 44(2): 331–384. DOI: 10.1128/mr.44.2.331-384.1980
Veena RL, Nagarathna C. Correlation of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus colonization with and without caries experience in preschool children. Indian J Dent Res 2020;31(1):73–79. DOI: 10.4103/ijdr.IJDR_432_18
Çolak H, Dülgergil CT, Dalli M, et al. Early childhood caries update: a review of causes, diagnoses, and treatments. J Nat Sci Biol Med 2013; 4(1): 29–38. DOI: 10.4103/0976-9668.107257
Thwin KM, Zaitsu T, Ueno M, et al. Early childhood caries and related risk factors among Myanmar preschool children. J Clin Prev Dent 2016;12(4):229–236. DOI: 10.15236/ijcpd.2016.12.4.229
Moore S, Calder KA, Miller NJ, et al. Antioxidant activity of saliva and periondontal disease. Free Radic Res 1997; 21(6):417–425. DOI: 10.3109/10715769409056594
Krawczyk D, Błaszczak J, Borowicz J, et al. Life style and risk of development of dental caries in a population of adolescents. Ann Agric Environ Med 2014;21(3):576–580. DOI: 10.5604/12321966.1120605
Oho TYamashita YShimazaki Y, et al. Simple and rapid detection of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus in human saliva O by polymerase chain reaction. Oral Microbiol Immunol 2000;15(4):258–262. DOI: 10.1034/j.1399-302x.2000.150408.x
Togelius J, Kristoffersson K, Anderson H, et al. Streptococcus mutans in saliva: intraindividual variations and relation to the number of colonized sites. Acta Odontol Scand 1984;42(3):157–163. DOI: 10.3109/00016358408993867
Ge Y, Caufield PW, Fisch GS, et al. Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguinis colonization correlated with caries experience in children. Caries Res 2008;42(6):444–448. DOI: 10.1159/000159608
Loesche WJ, Rowan J, Straffon LH, et al. Association of Streptococcus mutants with human dental decay. Infect Immun 1975;11(6):1252–1260. DOI: 10.1128/iai.11.6.1252-1260.1975
Choi EJ, Lee SH, Kim YJ. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus in dental plaque samples and its association with early childhood caries. Int J Paediatr Dent 2009;19(2):141–147. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-263X.2008.00942.x
De Farias DG, Bezerra ACB. Salivary antibodies, amylase and protein from children with early childhood caries. Clin Oral Investig 2003;7(3):154–157. DOI: 10.1007/s00784-003-0222-7
Chase I, Berkowitz RJ, Mundorff-Shrestha SA, et al. Clinical outcomes for early childhood caries (ECC): the influence of salivary mutans Streptococci levels. Eur J Paediatr Dent 2004;5(3):143–146.
Shukairy HA, Alamoudi N, Farsi N, et al. A comparative study of Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli in mothers and children with severe early childhood caries (SECC) versus a caries free group of children and their corresponding mothers. J Clin Pediatr Dent 2006;31(2):80–85. DOI: 10.17796/jcpd.31.2.w8555245202l6761
Carvalho FGD, Silva DS, Josimeri H, et al. Presence of mutans streptococci and Candida spp. in dental plaque/dentine of carious teeth and early childhood caries. Arch Oral Biol 2006;51(11):1024–1028. DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2006.06.001
Lin C, Tiantian M, Minquan Du, et al. Caries status and quantification of four bacteria in saliva of Chinese preschool children: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Dental Sciences 2014;9(3):283–288. DOI: 10.1016/j.jds.2014.01.001
Spigaglia P, Mastrantonio P. Evaluation of repetitive element sequence-based PCR as a molecular typing method for Clostridium difficile. J Clin Microbiol 2003;41(6):2454–2457. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.6.2454-2457.2003
