Cariogenicity Depends More on Diet than the Prevailing Mutans Streptococcal Species

Abstract

Abstract. This review aims to compare the occurrence and distribution of mutans streptococci in Africa, Europe, and North America and in addition will try to offer explanations for existing relationships among salivary mutans streptococci counts, dietary patterns, and dental caries. The literature reveals that salivary mutans streptococci counts in child populations of the three continents are comparable. The distribution of mutans streptococci species, with a predominance of S. mutans followed by S. sobrimis, and the virtual absence of other mutans streptococci species are also comparable. Although it is widely believed that diet has an important effect on mutans streptococci counts, this review provides evidence that this does not hold true when variations in dietary patterns are moderate, as they normally are in real-life situations. Since the diets of the child populations in the three continents vary moderately, a strong dietary-induced effect on salivary mutans streptococci counts cannot be expected. The observed analogous salivary mutans streptococci counts in these child populations are thus 'not surprising7 but are in accordance with the conceptual expectation. The differences in caries experience in children of the three continents cannot be explained by the prevailing mutans streptococci species but instead should be attributed to differences in the cariogenicity of the various diets. The fact that the cariogenicity of the diet determines the development of dental caries while hardly affecting the mutans streptococci counts explains the limited value of the latter as an indicator of dental caries. The reviewed literature shows that mutans streptococci are ubiquitous in children aged 7 years and older in Africa, Europe, and North America. Mutans streptococci should therefore be considered as belonging to the indigenous microflora of the human mouth.

Intake of sweet foods and counts of cariogenic microorganisms in relation to body mass index and psychometric variables in women

“…However, several studies have shown that normal oral hygiene procedure, and even professional tooth cleaning seem to have minor effects on the numbers of mutans streptoococci in the oral cavity. 29 There are reasons to believe that the intake of sugar, Intake of sweet foods in women B Barkeling et al especially when frequent, favours the prevalence of mutans streptococci in saliva and dental plaque. 29 One limitation of this study is that the questionnaire does not cover the total dietary intake.…”

Oral colonization by Streptococcus mutans and its association with the severity of periodontal disease in adults

“…Immediately after samples were collected, saliva was homogenized for 30 seconds, diluted 1:1000 (v/v) in sterile distilled water and an aliquot of 50 μL sowed on selective Trypticase-yeast-cysteinesucrose-bacitracin agar plates (TYCSB) (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) modified by addition of 20% sucrose (w/v) (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) for S. mutans, as described (13) . Plates were incubated at 37ºC for 48 h in anaerobic jars (Gen Box Anaer; bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Etoile, France), followed by phenotypical colony identification, considering as S. mutans only those adherent, irregular and sugar grain-like colonies, as described elsewhere (21) .…”

“…High counts of Mutans streptococci (MS), Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Streptococcus sobrinus, have been associated with higher prevalence of coronal caries in temporary and permanent dentitions (3)(4)(5)(6)(7) and also root caries (8)(9)(10)(11) . In spite of the widely acknowledged association between increased levels of MS and higher caries experience, other studies have argued against this association (12,13) . Colonization and pathogenicity of these facultative Gram(+) cocci derive from their capacity to synthesize extracellular polysaccharides (14) .…”

Frequency of four different mutacin genes in Streptococcus mutans genotypes isolated from caries-free and caries-active individuals

“…Alaluusua et al (1996) suggested that some strains of S. mutans might be able to colonize the host and induce dental caries better than other strains. Alternatively, dietary patterns of the host may be an important factor, since a high salivary mutans streptococci count does not necessarily exert a cariogenic challenge (van Palenstein Helderman et al, 1996).…”

“…Alaluusua et al (1996) suggested that some strains of S. mutans might be able to colonize the host and induce dental caries better than other strains. Alternatively, dietary patterns of the host may be an important factor, since a high salivary mutans streptococci count does not necessarily exert a cariogenic challenge (van Palenstein Helderman et al, 1996).Numerous factors affect the equilibrium among oral populations of micro-organisms, and several inhibitory substances have been identified, including mutacins (Fukushima et al, 1985;Caufield et al, 1985;Delisle, 1976). Mutacins are peptide or protein antibiotics that are mainly bactericidal for other bacteria of the same or closely related species, as well as for other Gram-positive micro-organisms, and are likely to confer an ecological advantage in diverse bacterial communities such as the dental biofilm (Parrot et al, 1990; Balakrishnan et al, 2002).…”