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Results for “Dental Caries Activity Tests”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Relationship between dental caries experience of a group of Japanese kindergarten children and the results of two caries activity tests conducted on their saliva and dental plaque.

To establish a dental caries preventive programme in 4- and 5-year-old children, caries activity tests were used to assess salivary levels of mutans streptococci (using the Mucount test, Showa Yakuhin, Japan) and the acidogenic ability of dental plaque bacteria (using the Cariostat test, Sankin, Japan) in 260 kindergarten children. The relationships between the results of these two tests and the dental caries experience (dfs) of the children was evaluated. There was a significant positive correlation between the results of the Mucount and Cariostat tests in the total group of subjects. However, 91 subjects (35%) gave conflicting results with the two tests. These subjects were divided into two groups: one group (group B) included Mucount-negative and Cariostat-positive subjects, and the other group (group C) included Mucount-positive and Cariostat-negative subjects. Group B had a significantly higher mean dfs score than a group that was negative on both tests (group A). On the other hand, no significant difference in mean dfs score was observed between group C and group A. These findings suggested that mutans streptococci levels alone are an insufficient indicator for assessing dental caries activity of children at these ages and that the role of lactobacilli and other aciduric bacteria should be considered. It was concluded that assessment of caries activity using both Mucount and Cariostat tests is useful for a dental caries preventive programme for children of these ages.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed2001

Efficacy of a dip slide test for mutans streptococci in caries risk assessment.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a dip slide test for mutans streptococci in caries risk assessment, when the microbiological results were compared to well-defined clinical criteria (DCC) for caries risk, clinically measured through high and low caries activity. Eighty-one volunteers from the 6th to 8th grades from public schools of Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil, were evaluated for dental caries. All free smooth surfaces were evaluated to check whether or not there were white spots. Based on the subjects' caries experience, a calibrated clinician divided them into groups of high and low caries activity. The subjects were submitted to a salivary test (CARITEST SM) from the same batch number. Kappa statistics (kappa) were applied to verify the reproducibility of the simplified test, checked through interexaminer agreement when the results were classified by independent and blind means. The microbiological results were validated according to expressions of sensitivity and specificity. A moderate agreement was verified as the results were classified according to 6 scores (kappa=0.55), and the agreement was substantial when the results were classified according to high and low microbiological count (kappa=0.78). The sensitivity and specificity values were 0.59 and 0.85, respectively, showing that the test was more specific than sensitive, and could thus better identify the low caries risk subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Microbiological tests of patients at risk].

The Streptococcus- and Lactobacillus-tests available in The Netherlands for the selection of patients at risk are discussed. Attention is paid tot the calculation of sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of microbiological tests. Although the predictive values or diagnostic power of the saliva tests are rather low, the use of such tests in dental practice is advocated.

Colony Count, Microbial↗
PubMed1985

Simple tests for caries susceptibility.

Two major problems dominate today's clinical cariology: although it has been known for centuries that sugar harms teeth this still does not often impinge on personal behaviour; the development of clinical caries is so slow that any snapshot of the present situation does not necessarily predict future caries incidence. Some simple tests have been developed for overcoming these problems in a causally directed diagnostic and therapeutic system of providing dental care. Routine measurement of stimulated salivary flow collected over 5 min objectively reveals the hyposalivation or xerostomic patients and directs them toward careful dental and medical examinations as well as to intensified preventive measures. Measurement of the pH and buffering capacity of the saliva related to a knowledge of the present caries prevalence gives an indication of the caries susceptibility of the patient. A high salivary lactobacillus count reveals in most cases a high frequency of sugar intake (or removable dentures and/or open carious lesions), and a salivary yeast infection is an indicator of reduced salivary flow and removable dentures. Both these microbiological shifts are shown by caries active patients. Using modern dip-slide techniques salivary aciduric lactobacilli and yeasts are easily cultured, and thus the development of new caries lesions may be predicted. Such cultures can also be used in the motivation phases of patient management. These simple tests help the modern dentist to evaluate the risk of future caries development, and to strengthen the motivation in patients to adopt healthy dietary habits.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Screening of caries in children through salivary lactobacilli and yeasts.

The caries predictive value of salivary counts of lactobacilli and yeasts was evaluated in 298 children (from 6 to 11 yr of age) concurrently to a 3-yr xylitol field study in Hungary. On a group level the salivary yeasts and the combined information of lactobacilli and yeasts predicted the 3-yr caries increment acceptably. On an individual basis salivary yeasts had more power than salivary lactobacilli. At best the sensitivity and specificity of yeasts were 74% and 75%, and the combined information of lactobacilli and yeasts, 69% and 83%, respectively. Although the results were not that good in all subgroups of the study, they indicate the value of salivary yeasts in caries prediction either as a sole test or together with salivary lactobacilli.

Child↗