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Streptococcus mutans , Iactobacilli, and caries experience in older adults
Author(s) -
Hunt RJ.,
Drake C.W.,
Beck J.D.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
special care in dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.328
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1754-4505
pISSN - 0275-1879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1754-4505.1992.tb00435.x
Subject(s) - streptococcus mutans , medicine , saliva , root caries , dentistry , bacteria , biology , genetics
This study Investigated salivary levels of Streptococcus mutans, lactobacilli, and caries experience in a random sample of 448 black and 362 white older dentate adults living in North Carolina. Significant proportions of the participants had stimulated salivary flow rates less than 1.0 mL/min, salivary buffering capacity less than 4.0, S. mutans levels of 10 5 cfu/mL or more in stimulated whole saliva, or lactobacilli levels of 10 5 cfu/mL or more. Each of these factor levels could be considered, on a clinical basis, to increase caries risk. in general, people with higher levels of S. mutans or lactobacilli had more untreated coronal and root caries, but not greater total caries experience.