Microbiota of Severe Early Childhood Caries before and after Therapy

Abstract

Severe early childhood caries (ECC) is difficult to treat successfully. This study aimed to characterize the microbiota of severe ECC and evaluate whether baseline or follow-up microbiotas are associated with new lesions post-treatment. Plaque samples from 2- to 6-year-old children were analyzed by a 16S rRNA-based microarray and by PCR for selected taxa. Severe-ECC children were monitored for 12 months post-therapy. By microarray, species associated with severe-ECC (n = 53) compared with caries-free (n = 32) children included Slackia exigua (p = 0.002), Streptococcus parasanguinis (p = 0.013), and Prevotella species (p < 0.02). By PCR, severe-ECC-associated taxa included Bifidobacteriaceae (p < 0.001), Scardovia wiggsiae (p = 0.003), Streptococcus mutans with bifidobacteria (p < 0.001), and S. mutans with S. wiggsiae (p = 0.001). In follow-up, children without new lesions (n = 36) showed lower detection of taxa including S. mutans, changes not observed in children with follow-up lesions (n = 17). Partial least-squares modeling separated the children into caries-free and two severe-ECC groups with either a stronger bacterial or a stronger dietary component. We conclude that several species, including S. wiggsiae and S. exigua, are associated with the ecology of advanced caries, that successful treatment is accompanied by a change in the microbiota, and that severe ECC is diverse, with influences from selected bacteria or from diet.

<b>PCR-dipstick DNA chromatography for profiling of a subgroup of cariesassociated bacterial species in plaque from healthy coronal surfaces and periodontal </b><b>pockets </b>

“…The preference of Actinomyces sp. for colonization in supra-and subgingival plaque (2,17), and the low occurrence of S. sobrinus and S. wiggsiae, were well corroborated in this study (25,33). S. sobrinus and S. wiggsiae did not differ significantly in prevalence between supra-and subgin-thought to be associated with endodontic and periodontal infection) should be incorporated in the further evaluation of this assay.…”

Microbiomes of Site-Specific Dental Plaques from Children with Different Caries Status

“…Thus, low diversity is not always a signature of disease. In addition, S. mutans and other acidogenic/aciduric species such as Scardovia wiggsiae, Parascardovia denticolens, and Lactobacillus salivarius, which were previously associated with caries (10,(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42), occurred almost exclusively in CA-PD, suggesting that these species might be more important in the advanced stages of childhood caries. V. parvula and V. dispar showed consistent increases in frequency from healthy to diseased states, as previously observed (20).…”

Defining the gut microbiota in individuals with periodontal diseases: an exploratory study

“…OT930) were significantly more predominant in diseased individuals compared to PH. Many of these microorganisms are associated with caries, periodontal and endodontic infections [69–72], but they have also been isolated from extra-oral infections or systemic conditions [52–54,73–75]. In contrast, S. australis and G. adiacens have been related to periodontal health [69,70].…”