Incidence and Association of Lactobacilli Species in children with Early childhood caries Kritivasan Sahana1, Muralidharan N. P.2,*, Subramanian E. M. G.3 1Graduate Student, Department of Paedodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University 2Reader, Department of Paedodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University 3Professor and Head of Department of Paedodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University *Corresponding Author: Mr. N.P. Muralidharan, Reader, Department of Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences Saveetha University 162, Poonamallee High Road, Chennai-600077, Tamil Nadu, India, Phone: +919840560487, Email: mugaidar@yahoo.com
Online published on 4 June, 2019. Abstract Aim To assess the incidence of Lactobacilli in children with early childhood caries. Objective The bacterial flora of the oral cavity will differ in infants and adults. Though viridans streptococci are the first colonizer, lactobacilli predominate in the mouth of the infants and children. The dietary habit in different age group is the major determining factor. Since the pellicle and the plaque accumulation will also have more of lactobacilli in children, it is associated with the childhood caries. So this study is done to ascertain the incidence of lactobacilli in children. Materials and Method Plaque samples were collected from children with early childhood caries who reported to the department of Pedodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai, India. The samples were collected from children within 71 months of age without any prior history of antibiotic therapy for the past 15 days or oral prophylactic measures done in 3 weeks or any systemic illness using a sterile excavator and transported in cuvettes containing 1ml of saline. This was then subjected to centrifugation in which the supernatant was discarded and the sediments were used for inoculation by streak method on lactobacillus MRS Agar (Himediacode no: M6411-500G) for isolation and identification after incubating at 37o C for 24 hours. Result Lactobacillispwas found in 60% of the samples collected from children with Early Childhood Caries. Viridan streptococci including mutans were seen in 40% of the sample collected. Conclusion In the environment of low mutans count and the predominant lactobacilli population in the oral cavity of children, identifying the etiology is essential for treatment and prophylaxis of early childhood caries. Top Keywords Early childhood caries, Lactobacilli, children, microbial flora, adults. Top |