Tartar Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Tartar, including details on teeth, plaque, enamel, dental calculus, oral hygiene.

Microbiological impressions of teeth, saliva and dietary fibre can predict caries activity.

Coogan MM, Mackeown JM, Galpin JS, Fatti LP

Division of Oral Microbiology, Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.

OBJECTIVES: Mutans streptococci and Lactobacilli on impressions of teeth and caries tests were used to identify caries prone subjects. METHODS: Twenty-seven dental students were examined for caries initially and after 4 years. At the initial examination plaque index; saliva flow, buffering capacity and lysozyme; sucrose and fibre consumption; Lactobacilli and mutans streptococci in saliva and on alginate impressions were measured. Data was analysed using Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and Spearman's Rank correlation tests and linear discriminant analysis. RESULTS: The best predictor of caries increment was decay. Nine subjects had no caries or restored teeth with caries (Group A); 9 had restored teeth with no caries but developed an average of 8 new decayed surfaces (Group B); 9 had an average of 4.4 decayed surfaces and developed a further 9.6 (Group C). Group A had fewer filled surfaces than Group B (p=0.02) and Group C (p=0.024) a higher flow rate of stimulated saliva than Group B (p=0.02) and Group C (p=0.012). Microorganisms were cultured from all decayed teeth, 98% that developed decay, 89% filled and 69% sound teeth. Fibre intake, saliva flow and the percentage of teeth or sound teeth with Lactobacilli and mutans streptococci gave a specificity of 89%, a sensitivity of 100% and predicted an increase in decay in all Group B subjects while one subject from Group A was misclassified. When teeth with microorganisms were excluded four subjects were misclassified. CONCLUSIONS: Growth of cariogenic microorganisms on alginate impressions, saliva flow and dietary fibre predicted caries activity in most subjects.

Published 1 September 2008 in J Dent.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

Articles on Tartar published 28 August 2008:

Effect of Microleakage and Fluoride on Enamel-Dentine Demineralization around Restorations.   Caries Res, 42(5): 369-379.

There is no consensus about an association between microleakage and secondary caries, especially considering the presence of fluoride (F) at the tooth/restoration interface. Thus, a randomized, double-blind, crossover study was carried out to evaluate in situ the effect of microleakage on caries around enamel-dentine restorations in the presence of F from dental materials or dentifrice, either alone or in combination. In 4 phases of 14 days each, 14 volunteers wore palatal devices containing ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Tartar published 27 August 2008:

Dental Caries Increments and Related Factors in Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.   Caries Res, 42(5): 354-362.

The aim of this study was to analyse possible associations between caries increments and selected caries determinants in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus and their age- and sex-matched non-diabetic controls, over 2 years. A total of 63 (10-15 years old) diabetic and non-diabetic pairs were examined for dental caries, oral hygiene and salivary factors. Salivary flow rates, buffer effect, concentrations of mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, yeasts, total IgA and IgG, protein, albumin, ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Tartar published 22 August 2008:

Substantivity of amine fluoride/stannous fluoride following different modes of application: A randomized, investigator-blind, placebo-controlled trial.   Acta Odontol Scand.

Objective. Amine fluoride/stannous fluoride (ASF) is proven to be effective against plaque and gingivitis. The purpose of this clinical controlled study was to investigate the influence of different application modes on the substantivity of this formulation. Material and Methods. Seventeen healthy volunteers received a professional dental prophylaxis. Undisturbed plaque growth was permitted for the next 48 h. In a crossover design, participants received ASF as a single mouthrinse, toothpaste, ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Tartar published 21 August 2008:

Clinical and microbiological effects of an essential-oil-containing mouth rinse applied in the "one-stage full-mouth disinfection" protocol-a randomized doubled-blinded preliminary study.   Clin Oral Investig.

The aim of this randomized double-blinded preliminary study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological long-term effects of an essential-oil-containing mouth rinse as the active agent utilized in the "one-stage full-mouth disinfection protocol." Probing pocket depth and plaque and gingival indices were evaluated by the same calibrated examiner in all teeth of 20 moderate chronic periodontitis subjects. Presence of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Tartar published 20 August 2008:

Mechanism of methaemoglobin breakdown by the lysine-specific gingipain of the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis.   Biol Chem.

Abstract The R- and K-gingipain proteases of Porphyromonas gingivalis are involved in proteolysis of haemoglobin from which the defensive dimeric haem pigment is formed. Whilst oxyhaemoglobin is refractory towards K-gingipain, methaemoglobin is rapidly degraded. Ligation of methaemoglobin with [Formula: see text], which effectively blocks haem dissociation from the protein, prevented haemoglobin breakdown. Haem-free globin was rapidly degraded by K-gingipain. These data emphasise the need for ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Tartar published 18 August 2008:

Evaluation of oral malodor in children.   Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 106(3): 384-8.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess oral malodor in highly caries-active children aged 7-15 years, analyze its association with oral malodor parameters, and investigate whether oral hygiene practices and orodental treatments can decrease the effect of oral malodor. STUDY DESIGN: The study included a total of 30 subjects with high caries activity (11 boys and 19 girls), mean age 10.5 +/- 2.4 years, who were living in Kirikkale, Middle Anatolia, Turkey. Oral malodor assessment was ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Evaluation of (GTG)(5)-PCR for rapid identification of Streptococcus mutans.   Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek.

Repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fingerprinting using the (GTG)(5) primer was applied for fast screening of bacterial strains isolated from dental plaque of early childhood caries (ECC)-affected children. A group of 29 Gram-positive bacteria was separated into a homogeneous cluster together with Streptococcus mutans reference strains and constituted an aberrant branch after the numerical analysis of (GTG)(5)-PCR fingerprints. Automated ribotyping with EcoRI restriction ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Tartar published 15 August 2008:

The relationship between periodontal disease and preterm low birthweight: clinical and microbiological results.   J Periodontal Res.

Background and Objective: Findings on the effect of periodontal disease on preterm low birthweight are inconclusive. The objective of this study was to compare periodontal clinical measures and the levels and proportions of 39 bacterial species in subgingival biofilm samples in puerperal women with preterm low birthweight and nonpreterm low birthweight. Material and Methods: A case-control study with 116 postpartum women over 30 years of age was conducted. Four case groups of subjects with ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

© 2004-2008 Tartar Research Today. All Rights Reserved.