Clinical Assessment of a New Caries Activity Test Using Dental Plaque Acidogenicity in Children under Three Years of Age

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of a new caries activity test that uses dental plaque acidogenicity in children with deciduous dentition. Study design: Ninety-two children under the age of three years old underwent clinical examination using the dft index and examinations with two caries activity tests. Plaque samples for the new Cariview® test and the saliva sample for the conventional Dentocult SM® test were collected, incubated, and scored according to each manufacturers’ instruction. The data were analysed using ANOVA and Spearman correlation analyses to evaluate the relationships between the test results and the caries experience. Results: The mean dft index of all of the subjects was 4.73, and 17.4% of the subjects were caries-free. The levels of caries risk based on the new Cariview test score significantly increased with the caries experience (p < 0.01). The test results revealed a stronger correlation with caries indices (dft and dt index) than the conventional SM colony counting method (r = 0.43, r = 0.39, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The new caries activity test to analyse the acidogenic potential of whole microorganisms from dental plaques can be used to evaluate caries risk in children with deciduous teeth.

Acidogenicity, Caries activity test, Caries experience, Dental plaque

1. van Houte J. Microbiological predictors of caries risk. Adv Dent Res, 7(2): 87-96, 1993.

2. Gudkina J, Brinkmane A. Caries experience in relation to oral hygiene, salivary cariogenic microflora, buffer capacity and secretion rate in 6-year olds and 12 year olds in Riga. Stomatologija, 10(2): 76-80, 2008.

3. Nurelhuda NM, Al-Haroni M, Trovik TA, Bakken V. Caries experience and quantification of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus in saliva of Sudanese schoolchildren. Caries Res, 44(4): 402-407, 2010.

4. Kohler B, Andreen I. Influence of caries-preventive measures in mothers on cariogenic bacteria and caries experience in their children. Arch Oral Biol, 39(10): 907-911, 1994.

5. Kohler B, Andreen I. Mutans streptococci and caries prevalence in children after early maternal caries prevention: a follow-up at eleven and fifteen years of age. Caries Res, 44(5): 453-458, 2010.

6. Jensen B, Bratthall D. A new method for the estimation of mutans streptococci in human saliva. J Dent Res, 68(3): 468-471, 1989.

7. Keene HJ, Shklair IL, Anderson DM, Mickel GJ. Relationship of Streptococcus mutans biotypes to dental caries prevalence in Saudi Arabian naval men. J Dent Res, 56(4): 356-361, 1977.

8. Beighton D, Adamson A, Rugg-Gunn A. Associations between dietary intake, dental caries experience and salivary bacterial levels in 12-year-old English schoolchildren. Arch Oral Biol, 41(3): 271-280, 1996.

9. Yip K, Smales R. Oral diagnosis and treatment planning: part 5. Preventive and treatment planning for dental caries. Br Dent J, 213(5): 211-220, 2012.

10. Gabris K, Nagy G, Madlena M, Denes Z, Marton S, Keszthelyi G, Banoczy J. Associations between microbiological and salivary caries activity tests and caries experience in Hungarian adolescents. Caries Res, 33(3): 191-195, 1999.

11. Zickert I, Emilson CG, Krasse B. Correlation of level and duration of Streptococcus mutans infection with incidence of dental caries. Infect Immun, 39(2): 982-985, 1983.

12. Krasse B. Biological factors as indicators of future caries. Int Dent J, 38(4): 219-225, 1988.

13. Loesche WJ. Role of Streptococcus mutans in human dental decay. Microbiol Rev, 50(4): 353-380, 1986.

14. Granath L, Cleaton-Jones P, Fatti LP, Grossman ES. Prevalence of dental caries in 4- to 5-year-old children partly explained by presence of salivary mutans streptococci. J Clin Microbiol, 31(1): 66-70, 1993.

15. Takahashi N, Nyvad B. The role of bacteria in the caries process: ecological perspectives. J Dent Res, 90(3): 294-303, 2011.

16. Marsh PD. Microbial ecology of dental plaque and its significance in health and disease. Adv Dent Res, 8(2): 263-271, 1994.

17. Kidd E. The implications of the new paradigm of dental caries. J Dent, 39 Suppl 2: S3-8, 2011.

18. Cagetti MG, Campus G, Sale S, Cocco F, Strohmenger L, Lingstrom P. Association between interdental plaque acidogenicity and caries risk at surface level: a cross sectional study in primary dentition. Int J Paediatr Dent, 21(2): 119-125, 2011.

19. Lingstrom P, van Ruyven FO, van Houte J, Kent R. The pH of dental plaque in its relation to early enamel caries and dental plaque flora in humans. J Dent Res, 79(2): 770-777, 2000.

20. Camling E, Emilson CG. Results with the caries activity test “Cariostat” compared to prevalence of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli. Swed Dent J, 13(4): 125-130, 1989.

21. Ansai T, Yamashita Y, Shibata Y, Katoh Y, Sakao S, Takamatsu N, Miyazaki H, Takehara T. 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. Int J Paediatr Dent, 4(1): 13-17, 1994.

22. Shimono T, Sobue S. A new colorimetric caries activity test. Dent Outlook, 43(6): 829-835, 1974.

23. Nishimura M, Bhuiyan MM, Matsumura S, Shimono T. Assessment of the caries activity test (Cariostat) based on the infection levels of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli in 2- to 13-year-old children’s dental plaque. ASDC J Dent Child, 65(4): 248-251, 229, 1998.

24. Koroluk L, Hoover JN, Komiyama K. The sensitivity and specificity of a colorimetric microbiological caries activity test (Cariostat) in preschool children. Pediatr Dent, 16(4): 276-281, 1994.

25. Nishimura M, Oda T, Kariya N, Matsumura S, Shimono T. Using a caries activity test to predict caries risk in early childhood. J Am Dent Assoc, 139(1): 63-71, 2008.

26. Kang S-M, Jung H-I, Jeong S-H, Kwon H-K, Kim B-I. Development of a new color scale for a caries activity test. J Korean Acad Oral Health, 34(1): 9-17, 2010.

27. Caufield PW, Cutter GR, Dasanayake AP. Initial acquisition of mutans streptococci by infants: evidence for a discrete window of infectivity. J Dent Res, 72(1): 37-45, 1993.

28. Kohler B, Andreen I. Mutans streptococci and caries prevalence in children after early maternal caries prevention: a follow-up at 19 years of age. Caries Res, 46(5): 474-480, 2012.

29. Honkala E, Nyyssonen V, Kolmakow S, Lammi S. Factors predicting caries risk in children. Scand J Dent Res, 92(2): 134-140, 1984.