Seventy‐eight 4‐year‐old children, examined earlier for the presence of mutans streptococci at 4‐month intervals from 15 months of age, were recalled for recording of dental caries and salivary sampling. The saliva samples were analysed for the presence of mutans streptococci, including the species Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus and lactobacilli. The results showed that the earlier the mutans streptococci had been detected in the children, the higher the caries experience. Eighty‐nine percent of the children colonized at 2 years of age had experienced caries and had a mean dfs of 5.0 compared with 25% of the non‐colonized 4‐year‐olds with a mean dfs of 0.3. S. mutans was the predominant species. S. sobrinus was usually found in combination with S. mutans, except in 2 children where S. sobrinus was the only species detected. More children with multiple species had higher numbers of total mutans streptococci and a tendency to higher caries prevalence than children with only S. mutans.
– Mothers of first‐born babies were selected on the basis of high salivary counts of Streptococcus mutans. All experimental subjects were given a basic caries preventive program in order to decrease the level of S. Mutans in saliva. the program included dietary counseling, which stressed the role of sucrose in the accumulation of S. Mutans. The treatment was carried out in a public dental office. The effect of the treatment was assessed by microbiological examination of salivary levels of S. mutars and lactobacilli. a stratistically significant reducation in both S. mutans and lactobacilli was found. The basic preventive program was effective in reducing the nuber of S. mutans below a selected threshold value of 3000000 CFU per mlsaliva in 60% of the mothers. In the remaining subjects chlorhexidine treatment was required to suppress the salivary levels of S. mutans below this value.
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