Effects of oral environment stabilization procedures on Streptococcus mutans counts in pregnant women

Flavia Cristina Volpato,Denise Madalena Palomari Spolidório,Aylton Valsecki Junior,Fernanda Lopez Rosell,Silvio Rocha Corrêa Da Silva,Fabiano Jeremias

doi:10.1590/s0103-64402011000400003

Flavia Cristina Volpato, Denise Madalena Palomari Spolidório + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0103-64402011000400003

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oral environment stabilization (OES) on the counting of Streptococcus mutans in high-caries-risk pregnant women participants of a prevention program in a public teaching institution. The sample was composed of 30 pregnant women aged 18 to 43 years, who looked for treatment at the Preventive Dentistry Clinic of the Araraquara Dental School, UNESP. Saliva samples were collected before and after the OES procedures and were forwarded to the pathology for observation and quantification of S. mutans CFU. There was a decrease in the number of S. mutans CFU, which was significantly different (p<0.0001) between samples. Considering the age group, 70.0% were between 18 to 30 years old and 30.0% belonged to the 31-43-year-old age group. Data related to the pregnancy period showed that 73.4% were in the second trimester, 13.3% in the first and 13.3% in third trimester. OES showed to be an effective clinical procedure in diminishing the number of S. mutans CFU in the saliva of high-caries-risk pregnant women. This management is simple and effective, corresponding to the basic treatment needs of pregnant women that search dental care in this public service.

Highlights

The idea that dental caries is transmissible was first demonstrated by Keyes [1] in 1960, and the vertical mother-child relationship of this transmissibility has been emphasized through the years.Mothers frequently have an intimate contact with their children during the first two years of their life
There was a decrease in S. mutans colony forming units (CFU) counts, with a statistically significant difference (p
Seventy percent of the pregnant women that looked for assistance at the “Dental Attention in Antenatal and Postnatal Program” supported by the discipline of Preventive and Community Dentistry of ASD-UNESP were aged 18 to 30 years, an age range considered the most reproducible in women, mainly in define an individual as being at high risk are the counts primigravids

Summary

Introduction

The idea that dental caries is transmissible was first demonstrated by Keyes [1] in 1960, and the vertical mother-child relationship of this transmissibility has been emphasized through the years.Mothers frequently have an intimate contact with their children during the first two years of their life. It is believed that it is in this period that Streptococcus mutans are initially transferred, in such a way that the maternal salivary levels guide the colonization and the disease extension in their children [2]. Elimination of pathogen focuses and control of risk of caries disease progression are aimed by means of mass excavation of carious tissue, sealing of cavities with a temporary material and extraction of residual roots. This way, oral environment stabilization (OES) propitiates the establishment of a functional dental care plan, strengthening of dental structure, an intra-canalicular bacteriostatic action and the control of intra-personal

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