High Caries Rate Research Articles

Causative agents of early childhood caries: challenges and solutions in culturing and sequencing

Dental caries, also known as cavities or dental decay, effects children at a rate five times higher than asthma in the United States. This disease is highly preventable but causes extreme pain and costs millions of dollars to treat every year. The presence of Streptococcus mutansand Streptococcus sobrinusplays a major role in the development and progression of tooth decay; therefore, it is important to establish colonization of these bacteria to assess the risk of developing the disease. Streptococcus bacteria are difficult to grow, extract, and sequence due to strict necessary growth conditions. In this study, we evaluated the performance of different storage and culturing protocols and developed strategies for reducing interference by unwanted bacterial and fungal genomes when sequencing extracted samples. We compared storage conditions of samples at various temperatures, and with and without glycerol. We decided the best storage method was at −80 °C in a specialized solution known as Aimes. When sequencing cultures, we encountered various unwanted bacterial and fungal genomes. To reduce this, we modified our culturing methods by including growth in anaerobic conditions and using serial isolation streaking. These modifications have limited the growth of aerobic specimens and increased culture purity before extraction. With this study, we will be able to better understand the oral microbiome and aim to identify virulence factors in S. mutans and S. sobrinus that contribute to the high rates of dental caries in children.

Assessing subsistence and its relationship to cultural complexity in the late prehistoric upper Midwest: A new perspective provided by dental health.

Previous researchers have assumed that the Late Prehistoric Oneota were less reliant on maize agriculture than their Middle Mississippian neighbors to the south. This assumption is based on the idea that intensive maize agriculture is related to sociopolitical complexity, and that the climate of the Great Lakes region was less conducive to full-scale agriculture than that of the American Bottom. Here, we assess the diet of the Oneota using dental pathology to test the hypothesis that the Oneota in Eastern Wisconsin were highly reliant on maize agriculture. To test our hypothesis, skeletal remains representing 187 individuals and 1,102 teeth were examined from nine Oneota sites from the Middle Fox and Koshkonong Localities, as well as the Late Woodland/Middle Mississippian site of Aztalan. Dental caries, antemortem tooth loss (AMTL), and dental abscesses were assessed for each individual in the sample. Dental pathologies in the Oneota groups were compared to each other based on Locality and to the Aztalan population using chi-squared tests. Dental caries rates for the Oneota, based on the tooth count approach, were observed at 16.8% for the Middle Fox Locality, and 49% for the Koshkonong Locality. Comparatively, the Late Woodland/Middle Mississippian population from Aztalan had a tooth count rate of 19.5%. AMTL rates were similar across samples. Dental abscessing was universally low. The relatively high rate of dental caries among the Oneota is comparable to Middle Mississippian populations from throughout the Midwest, suggesting similar reliance on maize between the groups.

Особливості стоматолоґічного статусу в дітей з надмірною масою тіла

Aim. To a number of factors that have a significant influence on the processes of formation of teeth and periodontal tissues is excessive body weight. In the XXI century, overweight and obesity became one of the most serious public health problems in the European region. At the same time, high rates of caries and periodontal disease, which is especially unfavorable, remain in childhood. Therefore, the purpose of the work is to assess the dental status of children with excessive body weight. Material and Methods. 648 children were examined in Lviv, age 7, 12, 15 years. The prevalence of caries (%) and intensity (DMF) was determined. The Schiller-Pisarev test was used, the PMA index (Parma, 1960), the index of gum bleeding (M.Muhleman, 1971), and the CPI index were used. The quality of hygiene of the oral cavity was estimated using the OHI-S Hygiene Index (Green-Vermillion, 1964). The assessment of the physical development of the examined children was carried out according to anthropometric measurements. The body mass index was estimated using percentile tables developed by the WHO for children aged 5 to 19. The results of the study were worked out using the methods of variation statistics. Results and Discussion. The analysis of the data showed that, on average, the caries intensity in children with excess body weight is 5.53±0.52, which significantly exceeds the mean values in children with normal body mass (DMF=3.34±0.53 tooth, p<0.05) and corresponds to a high intensity level according to WHO recommendations. It was also found that the prevalence of periodontal tissue diseases in children with overweight is, on average, 67.9±2.8%, which is much more frequent than in children with normal weight body (46,92±2,92%, p<0,01). The analysis of the structure of the diseases of periodontal tissues showed that chronic catarrhal gingivitis was most often diagnosed in children with excessive body weight in 64,03±2,88% of cases, which is 1,4 times more than in children with normal body weight (45.21±2.91%), (p<0.05). Thus, in children with overweight, the positive Schiller-Pisarev test was found to be 1.44 times more frequent than in children with normal body weight (52.16±2.94%, p<0.001). It was found that in children with overweight the index of PMA was 33.71±2.84%, whereas in children with normal body mass (24.95±2.52). The value of index of gum bleeding in children with overweight was 1.48 times higher than in children with normal body mass. Most of children with excess body weight (36.06%) had satisfactory oral hygiene. Conclusions. The results of assessing the dental status in overweight children indicate higher rates of caries and periodontal disease than children with normal body weight. Particularly significant increasing of caries and periodontal disease is observed in the age from 12 to 15 years.

Supervision methods in tooth brushing by mothers on their children in relation to the caries rate among the mothers and their children

Abstract Children aged 6 and below need supervision by their parents during tooth brushing. 40 children aged 4 and 5 together with their mothers were selected from IIUM Educare, Kuantan. They were assessed clinically for their caries status by using DMFT/dmft index. 57.5% of the mothers supervised their children during tooth brushing. Methods of supervision include; assisting the child during tooth brushing (22.5%), the mothers brush for the children once daily (22.5%) and the mothers brush for the children twice daily (12.5%). Interestingly, majority of the children who were caries free and have high caries rate did not receive any supervision. There was no significant relationship between methods of supervision and the caries status of the children (p value=0.905) and no correlation between caries status of the mothers and their children (r = 0.267, p value=0.096). This study concluded that supervision during child tooth brushing alone does not affect the caries status of the children.

Prevalence of dental caries in first permanent molars of children between 6 to 9 years old attended at the dentistry clinic of the Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial- SERODU, period 2016-2017

Objective: Due to the high rate of dental caries in our country, and specifically in the SERODU Clinic, we sought to determine the prevalence of this pathology in permanent first molars, in children aged 6 to 9 years who attended the Clinic of the Faculty of Dentistry from the Equatorial Technological University-Quito-Ecuador and to know which of the first permanent molars has the highest exposure of dental caries, in which gender is more predominant and if there was any previous, preventive or restorative treatment. Materials and methods: An observational, retrospective and descriptive study was conducted in the Clinic of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Technological University Equinoccial-Quito-Ecuador, during the period 2016-2017, reviewing each of the Clinical Histories entered in the interval of proposed time, with a previously calibrated staff. In History the information of the Odontogram and the Treatment section was collected. They met the inclusion and exclusion requirements previously proposed. Results: Of a total of 57 reviewed clinical histories, 44 patients did not present dental caries, while the rest did present the pathology. Sealants being the treatment of choice as prevention in these parts Conclusions: A higher prevalence of dental caries was observed in the first permanent molars of the upper arch. The first upper left molar was the most affected tooth for both genders. The most predominant treatment was the preventive specifically the application of sealants, in both genders.

Caries, antemortem tooth loss and tooth wear observed in indigenous peoples and Russian settlers of 16th to 19th century West Siberia

Objective: Increased prevalence of dental caries evidently is correlated with increasing intake of sugar and carbohydrate-rich foods. Preceding and accompanying this dietary alteration might have been a shift from a hunting-and-gathering subsistence strategy to one based on agriculture. We corroborated this conjecture by means of a study on the prevalence of caries, antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) and tooth wear among 16th to 19th century hunter-gatherers and agriculturalists who co-existed in West Siberia.Design: Indigenous skeletons (n = 75) exhumed from Tatar, Selkup, Khant, and Nenet graves along with Russian settler skeletons (n = 79) from Izyuk were examined. The prevalence of caries, AMTL and tooth wear among the indigenous peoples were compared with those among the Russian settlers. The resulting statistical inferences were tested using package R.Results: The agriculturalist Russian settlers showed a significantly higher prevalence of dental caries (11.88%) than did the non-agriculturalist indigenous Siberian people (3.85%). Among the latter, the prevalence was the lowest in the Khanty and the highest in the Tatars, suggesting that caries differently affected each sub-group of indigenous Siberian people. Correspondingly to the case of dental caries, the Russian settlers’ AMTL prevalence also was higher than that of the indigenous Siberians, regardless of age. On the other hand, the native Siberians and the Russian settlers did not show statistical differences in tooth wear.Conclusion: In the study on 16th to 19th century West Siberian populations, we were able to corroborate our presumption that agriculturalists ingesting a carbohydrate-rich diet would have higher rates of dental caries and AMTL than would hunter-gatherers.

Dental markers of poverty: Biocultural deliberations on oral health of the poor in mid-nineteenth-century Ireland.

ObjectivesDespite subsisting on a low‐cariogenic diet comprising virtually nothing more than potatoes and dairy products, poor oral health affected the quality of life for the poor of nineteenth‐century Ireland. This study investigates potential biocultural reasons that may explain why this was the case.Material and MethodsA total of 6,860 teeth and 9,889 alveoli from 363 permanent dentitions from the skeletal remains of impoverished adult Irish males and females who died between 1847 and 1851 in the Kilkenny Union Workhouse were examined for evidence of dental caries, periodontal disease and ante‐mortem tooth loss. Caries rates were quantified and assessed by crude prevalence, frequencies, corrected caries rates and a t‐health index, and evaluated by sex and age groups.ResultsA higher rate of caries was present among 18–25‐year‐old males than females, while the opposite relationship was evident for older age groups. The prevalence rates of periodontal disease and ante‐mortem tooth loss increased with age. When assessed by corrected caries rates, tooth decay is observed at a lower rate compared to contemporaneous lower to upper‐class population samples from London.DiscussionDespite being low cariogenic foods, the potato starch and milk lactose of a nineteenth‐century Irish laborer's diet would have lowered oral pH‐values thereby increasing the risk of bacterial fermentation in dental plaque resulting in caries. Nutritional features alone cannot explain the high rates of dental caries observed in the Kilkenny workhouse population sample, however, and lifestyle factors, particularly habitual clay‐pipe smoking, is considered a significant cause of poor oral health.

A collaboration with local Aboriginal communities in rural New South Wales, Australia to determine the oral health needs of their children and develop a community-owned oral health promotion program.

As part of an oral health service for Aboriginal people in central northern New South Wales (NSW), Australia, oral health promotion was identified as a priority by the local Aboriginal community. The objective of this study was to collaborate with local Aboriginal communities to determine (1) the oral health needs of Aboriginal children aged 5-12 years, (2) the oral health knowledge and attitudes towards oral health of parents/guardians and (3) the perceived barriers and enablers towards oral health promotion for school children by local school staff and community health workers. The results of this collaboration will inform a community-owned oral health promotion program. Aboriginal children aged 5-12 years enrolled in local schools received a dental screening by a single examiner. The number of decayed, missing and filled teeth of primary and permanent dentition (dmft/DMFT), plaque and gingivitis were recorded. Children completed a questionnaire assessing current oral hygiene practices, dental history and information on their diet. Parents/guardians completed a questionnaire assessing oral health knowledge and attitudes towards oral health. School staff and community health workers completed a questionnaire assessing attitudes, barriers and enablers towards implementing an oral health promotion program in schools. Eighty-eight children, representing 94% of those eligible, were screened, and 78 (82%) completed a questionnaire. The mean dmft/DMFT score was 5.3. Risk factors for dental caries identified included lack of toothbrush ownership (35%), minimal fluoride toothpaste use (24%), limited daily tooth brushing (51%) and frequent consumption of sugary foods (72%) and soft drinks (64%). Questionnaires were completed by 32 parents/guardians and 39 school and community health workers. Parents/guardians had limited oral health knowledge. School and health staff were willing to support a health promotion program to improve dental health of children. Aboriginal children living in rural and remote communities in NSW experience high rates of dental caries. Oral health promotion is urgently required to reduce the burden of dental caries and should address oral hygiene behaviours, fluoride use and access to healthy foods and drinks. Note: This article uses the term 'Aboriginal people' when referring to the first peoples of Australia. This term is inclusive of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Contemporary management and full mouth rehabilitation of a patient with Sjögren syndrome

Sjögren syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disorder with xerostomia, increased tooth wear, high rates of caries, and repeated failure of dental restorations as the main oral symptoms. These render the prosthetic treatment challenging. This clinical report describes a contemporary approach to the treatment of a patient with Sjögren syndrome using translucent multilayered monolithic zirconia restorations and focuses on the treatment protocols before, during, and after the prosthetic treatment.

Impact of preventive care orientation on caries status among preschool children.

Objective:This study aims to study the impact of preventive care orientation given to caregivers of child daycare centers on their knowledge and on the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) among preschool children.Materials and Methods:Caregivers of twenty child daycare centers in Emirate of Sharjah were interviewed and 435 children attending these centers were surveyed for decayed missing filled teeth (dmft). The sample data were analyzed using t-tests and one-way ANOVA to assess the statistical significance of the differences in dmft score found between groups.Results:No significant correlation was found between dmft scores and family income of urban or rural centers, mothers' level of education, mothers' employment status in public centers, and frequency of dental visits. There was a significant correlation between dmft scores and mothers' employment status in private centers with the lowest scores among children of working mothers. High caries rates were observed in children attending private daycare centers where sweetened milk, juices, and snacks were served more frequently. There was a significant difference between private and public centers in caregivers' level of knowledge regarding oral health in favor of the latter. Low dmft scores were found to be associated with high level of knowledge of caregivers in public centers.Conclusions:Children are more likely to develop ECC if their caregivers are lacking knowledge or regular provision of preventive care orientation. This makes caregivers and school teachers better candidates for oral health education programs than parents.

Oral pathology patterns in late farmers of the Central Andes: A comparative perspective between coastal and highland populations

Aiming at future comparisons with earlier hunter-gatherers or transitional populations, this paper intends to characterize and describe the oral pathology pattern of late agriculturalists from Central Andes dating to the Late Intermediate Period (LIP) and Inca periods (1000–1532 CE), and identify differences and/or similarities between coastal and highland populations. Although the botanical inventories of the LIP suggest carbohydrate-rich diets and similar components, it has been hypothesized that coastal and highland populations had, nevertheless, substantially different oral pathology patterns. We evaluated 14 indicators of oral pathology from Los Pinos (n=200) and Armatambo (n=25) sites in the Central Coast and two chronological phases from Laguna de los Cóndores site (LC-Inca, n=23; and LC-LIP, n=55), in the Peruvian northern highlands. The results showed a recurrent pattern of oral pathologies characterized by cervical caries (above 30%), extra-occlusal caries (above 60%), high rates of gross-gross caries, high frequency of ante mortem tooth loss, and signals of periodontal disease among these four populations. The diets of the coast were slightly more abrasive than those of the highlands. Oral pathology patterns were compatible with a slightly more cariogenic diet in the coast than in the highlands. In all four populations, those patterns were modulated by other common factors such as consumption of fermented drinks (maize beer – chicha) and the coca leaf chewing habit.

Prevalence of Dental Caries, Oral Hygiene Knowledge, Status, and Practices among Visually Impaired Individuals in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Aim. To assess the prevalence of dental caries, oral hygiene knowledge, status, and practices among visually impaired individuals in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 404 visually impaired individuals in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu. Four schools were randomly selected for conducting the study. The oral hygiene status, prevalence of caries, and knowledge and attitude towards oral care among visually impaired individuals were collected and analysed. Results. In the present study, whilst 42% of individuals had fair oral hygiene status, 33% had good hygiene followed by 25% having poor oral hygiene. The overall mean number of DMFT was estimated to be 4.5 ± 2.7. The mean number of decayed teeth was 3.1 ± 2.2, mean number of missing teeth was 0.8 ± 1.4, and mean number of filled teeth was 0.5 ± 1.3. Conclusion. Whilst oral hygiene status was found to be relatively fair, there was a high rate of dental caries among the sample population. This shows that there is lack of knowledge regarding oral health maintenance. Therefore, early identification of caries coupled with effective oral health promotion programs providing practical knowledge to visually impaired students would prove beneficial.

Prevalence of early childhood caries and enamel defects in four and five-year old Qatari preschool children.

BackgroundDental caries is the most prevalent chronic disease in early childhood in most communities worldwide. Several studies conducted in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have documented a high prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC). To date, no studies have been conducted in Qatar to examine the prevalence of ECC and enamel developmental defects in preschool children. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of ECC and enamel defects in preschool children aged four and five years attending kindergartens in Qatar.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was performed among 250 children randomly selected from 16 public kindergartens. Caries experience was measured using the World Health Organization caries criteria (dmft) for tooth rather than surface; enamel defects were scored by the modified developmental defects of enamel index. Descriptive statistics and Chi-Square test of relatedness were used.ResultsA response rate of 63 % was reported. The overall caries prevalence of the study sample was 89.2 %; 15.6 % of the examined children had ECC and 73.6 % had severe ECC. Developmental enamel defects were present in 39 % of children and 27 % had demarcated enamel opacities.ConclusionThe high rate of dental caries and enamel defects recorded in this study for this young age group has strongly emphasized the necessity of community-based preventive programs and professional care that should begin during pregnancy and in early childhood.

Comparison of oral Lactobacillus and Streptococcus mutans between diabetic dialysis patients with non-diabetic dialysis patients and healthy people.

Introduction: Diabetes is associated with higher rates of caries, on the other hand some studies have shown that renal failure can be protective against dental caries. Objectives: In this study we compared oral Lactobacillus and Streptococcus mutans between diabetic dialysis and non-diabetic dialysis patients and the normal population. Patients and Methods: During November 2014 to January 2014, 85 people that referred to our medical care center entered the study. The sample included 30 diabetic dialysis, 28 non-diabetic dialysis patients and 27 healthy people. Oral saliva samples were obtained from their tongue and oral floor for microbiological examination. Patients’ data were compared before and after dialysis. Results: The amount of Lactobacillus and S. mutans did not show a significant difference between the three groups (P=0.092 and P=0.966 for S. mutans and lactobacillus, respectively). A positive and meaningful correlation was seen between fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels and the amount of S. mutans in the diabetic dialysis group (P=0.023; r=0.413). A meaningful and positive correlation was also seen between the amount of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) after dialysis and the amount of oral S. mutans in the non-diabetic dialysis group (P=0.03; r=0.403). Conclusion: Despite the differences in the prevalence of caries that have been reported between renal failure patients and diabetic patients, we did not find any significant difference between diabetic dialysis, non-diabetic dialysis patients and the healthy population, regarding their amount of oral cariogenic bacteria.

Head Start Oral Health Assessment.

A Head Start program located in Paterson, New Jersey considered establishing a school-based dental clinic to address unmet oral health needs such as access to care and the need for restorative treatment. The purpose of this study was to establish the oral health status of Head Start children, their treatment needs, and parents' interest and willingness to utilize a school-based dental clinic. School-based dental care has been used to address access to care issues, particularly among children who live in underserved areas. A 21 item survey was used to correlate the results of an oral exam performed on the Head Start children and the parents' preferences, beliefs and access patterns. Fisher's exact test and Chi squared test were used to study the association among variable with significance levels set at 0.05. Assessment The oral exam revealed a high caries rate amongst all of the children. Parental responses indicated strong support for the establishment of a school-based clinic and identified the need for further parental education. Having a regular source of care was found to be unrelated to treatment needs. Further education of the parents regarding the child's oral health is critical to the success and viability of this school-based clinic.

Income as a Protective Factor for Dental Caries among Indigenous People from Central Brazil.

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the association between eligibility for a conditional cash transfer program, based on household income, and dental caries in 12-year-old children from three Indigenous ethnic groups living in Mato Grosso do Sul state, Central Brazil. A population-based cross-sectional study was performed in three ethnic groups: Kaiwoá, Guarani, and Terena. The study population was drawn by stratified sampling according to each ethnic group with a probability proportional to the village size. The number of untreated decayed permanent teeth as a count variable was the outcome measure. Ethnic group and eligibility for the conditional cash transfer program showed significant association with untreated caries. Children from Guarani and Terena presented respectively two-fold and 2.8-fold higher caries rate (p&lt;.001) compared with Kaiwoá in the adjusted model, while children from no eligible cash transfer program households had a 40% lower caries rate (p=.034).

Carbon Isotopes and Dental Caries as Evidence for Regional Variation in the Diets of Early Farming Communities from Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo

We report on aspects of diet and subsistence patterns of late 1st and early 2nd millennium AD farmers from the Upemba Depression of Katanga, DRC, as reconstructed from stable isotopes and dental caries. While the archaeology of this region is well known from cemeteries, details of the subsistence base of these communities are not well known, because occupation sites have not yet been identified. Carbon isotope measurements show that individuals buried at Sanga ate diets rich in C4-based resources, and suffered high rates of dental caries, similar to those seen among farmers in southern Africa. People buried at Katoto consumed more C3 foods, and presented with lower caries prevalence. Their diets probably included more cucurbits, legumes and root crops. Oxygen isotopes also differ between the two sites, likely due to different sources of drinking water. Our results indicate that the crops grown and the diets consumed at Sanga and Katoto were substantially different, although the sites are only 130 km apart. The cultural differences previously noted between the two sites were underpinned by differences in subsistence economy, pointing to a higher degree of variation in these societies than previously known.

Template assisted surface microstructuring of flowable dental composites and its effect on microbial adhesion properties

ObjectivesDespite their various advantages, such as good esthetic properties, absence of mercury and adhesive bonding to teeth, modern dental composites still have some drawbacks, e.g., a relatively high rate of secondary caries on teeth filled with composite materials. Recent research suggests that microstructured biomaterials surfaces may reduce microbial adhesion to materials due to unfavorable physical material–microbe interactions. The objectives of this study were, therefore, to test the hypotheses that (i) different surface microstructures can be created on composites by a novel straightforward approach potentially suitable for clinical application and (ii) that these surface structures have a statistically significant effect on microbial adhesion properties. MethodsSix different dental composites were initially tested for their suitability for microstructuring by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) templates. Each composite was light-cured between a glass slide and a microstructured PDMS template. The nano-hybrid composite Grandio Flow was the only tested composite with satisfying structurability, and was therefore used for the bacterial adhesion tests. Composites samples were structured with four different microstructures (flat, cubes, linear trapezoid structures, flat pyramids) and incubated for 4h in centrifuged saliva. The bacterial adherence was then characterized by colony forming units (CFUs) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). ResultsAll four microstructures were successfully transferred from the PDMS templates to the composite Grandio Flow. The CFU-test as well as the quantitative analysis of the SEM images showed the lowest bacterial adhesion on the flat composite samples. The highest bacterial adhesion was observed on the composite samples with linear trapezoid structures, followed by flat pyramids and cubes. The microstructure of dental composite surfaces statistically significantly influenced the adhesion of oral bacteria. SignificanceModifying the composite surface structure may be a clinically suitable approach to control the microbial adhesion and thus, to reduce the risk of secondary caries at dental composite restorations. Smaller composite surface structures may be useful for accomplishing this.

Diabetes an inducing factor for dental caries: A case control analysis in Jammu.

Objective:Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common chronic disease and it has emerged as a major health-care problem. There are more chances of dentinal caries among diabetics than nondiabetics. DM is responsible for causing ascendancy in the proportion and activity of saliva that impacts the oral health. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the impact of various factors present in saliva on tooth decay amid type-II DM in Jammu.Materials and Methods:The subjects in our analysis comprises of 50 patients with type-II DM and 50 controls within the age group of 30–60 years. Diabetic status was assessed by estimating random blood glucose levels. Dental findings were recorded using modified World Health Organization (WHO) Oral health survey-basic method 2013. Salivary samples from all the subjects were collected and sent to the laboratory for interpretation of pH, flow rate, and salivary calcium. The analysis of salivary components decayed tooth was carried using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson's correlation test. All the parameters were subjected to statistical analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0.Results:The results have shown a significantly lower values of salivary pH, flow rate, and calcium levels in diabetics than in nondiabetics.Conclusion:Within the limits of the present study, the results indicated that patients with type-II DM have high rate of dental caries and are at high risk of caries development. The decline in the salivary components will reduce capability of supporting the mineral compartment of tooth structure to resist the demineralization process by cariogenic potentials thereby creating a favorable environment for caries progression.

Molecular Analysis of Oral Bacteria in Heart Valve of Patients With Cardiovascular Disease by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction.

Structural deficiencies and functional abnormalities of heart valves represent an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and a number of diseases, such as aortic stenosis, have been recently associated with infectious agents. This study aimed to analyze oral bacteria in dental plaque, saliva, and cardiac valves of patients with cardiovascular disease. Samples of supragingival plaque, subgingival plaque, saliva, and cardiac valve tissue were collected from 42 patients with heart valve disease. Molecular analysis of Streptococcus mutans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Treponema denticola was performed through real-time PCR. The micro-organism most frequently detected in heart valve samples was the S. mutans (89.3%), followed by P. intermedia (19.1%), P. gingivalis (4.2%), and T. denticola (2.1%). The mean decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) was 26.4 ± 6.9 (mean ± SD), and according to the highest score of periodontal disease observed for each patient, periodontal pockets > 4 mm and dental calculus were detected in 43.4% and 34.7% of patients, respectively. In conclusion, oral bacteria, especially S. mutans, were found in the cardiac valve samples of patients with a high rate of caries and gingivitis/periodontitis.