Chemical and Bacteriological Tests for Determining Susceptibility To, and Activity of Dental Caries; A Review*

Abstract

Dr. Stolpe has raised some provocative questions about the validity of 14 tests for caries‐activity.

Screening of caries in children through salivary lactobacilli and yeasts

“…On a group level the determination of salivary lactobacilli distinguishes adequately in respect of high and low caries prevalence (1)(2)(3). As a caries susceptibility test, particularly in prediction of caries increment it does not fulfil any strict criteria (4)(5)(6). In comparison with the sole use of lactobacilli, the combination of the information of lactobacilli, with Streptococcus mutans {S. mutans) and number of initial caries lesions (7), with salivary buffering capacity (8) or solely with S. mutans (9,10) has been shown to increase the power in caries prediction.…”