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Salivary levels of mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, yeasts, and root caries prevalence in non‐institutionalized elderly dental patients
Author(s) -
Beighton D.,
Hellyer P. H.,
Lynch E. J. R.,
Heath M. R.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1991.tb00172.x
Subject(s) - root caries , medicine , dentistry , streptococcus mutans , saliva , biology , bacteria , genetics
Root caries prevalence was recorded for a consecutive sample of dental patients (n = 146), aged over 55 yr and with at least 12 natural teeth. The mean root DFS score of the males (n = 49) was 6.34 ± 4.55 and for the females (n = 97) 3.76 ± 3.31 (p < 0.001). The salivary levels of mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, and yeasts were determined in addition to salivary How rate and buffering capacity. Subjects with > 1 root DPS had significantly higher salivary levels of mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, and yeasts. They also had fewer teeth and more exposed root surfaces. In step‐wise multivariate analyses the factors significantly related to the root FOPS score were the number of exposed root surfaces, number of teeth, sex and salivary yeast levels (R 2 = 0.41). In the multivariate analyses salivary levels of mutans streptococci were not significantly related to any clinical measurement of root caries experience due to the greater strength of association between the root DFS score and salivary levels of yeasts. Subjects prescribed medicines with a reported xerostomic effect had significantly fewer active root lesions than those not prescribed such medicines and salivary levels of all microorganisms studied were significantly elevated in subjects prescribed medications containing sucrose.