Association of Salivary Microbial Count and Caries Experience in Pre-school Children of Lucknow with Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and respective Mothers - A Case Control Study. Jha Kunal1, Saha Sabyasachi2, Jagannath GV3, Saha Sonali4, Mohd Shafaat5, Narang Ridhi6 1Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Guru Nanak Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, India 2Prof and Head, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India 3Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India 4Senior Lecturer, Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India 5Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental and Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India 6Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Surendera Dental College and Research Institute, Sri Ganganagar-335001, Rajasthan, India Online published on 26 February, 2013. Abstract Aim To assess salivary levels of cariogenic bacteria namely Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus as well as caries experience in mothers (Group IM) and children with ECC (Group IC) in comparison to caries free children (Group IIC) and their corresponding mothers (Group IIM). Materials and Method Sixty pre-school children (3 - 5 years) and their mothers were included and matching was done. The study group consisted of 30 children with ECC and a control group comprising of 30 caries free children. Children together with their mothers were examined for their caries experience and microbiological assessment of their saliva was carried out. Statistical Analysis Statistical analysis was done using S.P.S.S version 15.0 software. Statistical tests used were Chi Square and t-test to determine the strength of association between the variables. Results Streptococcus mutans was significantly higher in children of ECC (Group IC) than caries free children (Group IIC) (p<0.001). Lactobacillus acidophilus was significantly higher in group IC and group IM than caries free children (Group IIC) and their corresponding mothers (Group IIM). There was no significant difference in Streptococcus mutans count in Groups IM and IIM. Conclusion Significant association was observed in the proportion of children in the ECC group and their mothers with respect to levels of Streptococcus mutans indicating vertical transmission. Top Keywords Early childhood caries (ECC), Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saliva. Top |