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

Abstract

Background: Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is associated with the onset of caries. Since root exposure in patients affected by periodontitis leads to higher caries rates, progressively more severe forms of periodontal disease might associate with elevated counts of S. mutans. Aim: To determine whether increasingly destructive forms of periodontal disease are associated with higher counts of S. mutans in untreated patients. Methods: 206 subjects aged 20-75 were classified into three groups according to the severity of periodontal disease: 1) gingivitis, 2) chronic slight periodontitis and 3) chronic moderate or chronic severe periodontitis. S. mutans counts (cfu/mL) were obtained by direct counting on selective agar plates from saliva samples. A cumulative proportional logistic regression model was adjusted for S. mutans counts. Results: The model failed to show differences by gender, but periodontal diagnosis had a significant effect on S. mutans counts depending on age. While in the group with moderate and severe periodontitis the probability of having high counts of S. mutans significantly increased with age, the probability remained unchanged in individuals with chronic slight periodontitis or gingivitis. Conclusion: High S. mutans levels appear directly co-associated with increased severity of periodontal disease at older ages in untreated patients.

Characterization of Antimicrobial Agent Loaded Eudragit RS Solvent Exchange-Induced In Situ Forming Gels for Periodontitis Treatment

“…Antimicrobial activity of microparticles of PLGA containing chlorhexidine/cyclodextrin complexation was performed with P. gingivalis (57). S. mutans is associated with the onset of caries, and high S. mutans (58). Antibacterial activity of PLGA-based in situ forming gel from NMP-based liquid formulations was tested using Streptococcus strains (59).…”

Cuantificación de bacterias relacionadas con la caries dental en saliva de adultos y adultos mayores

“…Menos claro, sin embargo, el biofilm de adultos mayores en condiciones de salud no ha sido bien caracterizado. Por otro lado, se ha mostrado que los recuentos de S. mutans aumentan con la severidad de la enfermedad periodontal (29) , la que también aumenta con la edad. Pese a que se consideraba tradicionalmente que S. mutans y Lactobacillus spp.…”

The paradox of painless periodontal disease

“…Lipoteichoic acid-Although P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans and a majority of other suspected periodontal pathogens are Gram-negative, Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans, are found in supragingival plaques (Fritschi et al, 2008). Moreover, overall salivary counts of S. mutans increase with increased severity of periodontal disease (Contardo et al, 2011). Lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a bioactive component of Gram-positive bacterial cell wall, is known to activate TLR2 (Takeuchi et al, 1999;Yoshimura et al, 1999), which, in turn, also causes pain hypersensitivity, as seen in nerve-injury-induced neuropathic pain (Kim et al, 2007) or zymosan-induced joint hypernociception (Guerrero et al, 2012).…”