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Updated: Jul 29, 2026

Oral Biofilm Analysis of Palatal Expanders by Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy
Published on: October 20, 2011
[Dental fluorosis: quantification of Streptococcus mutans in school children from Mamiña, Chile. A longitudinal
A Linossier1, P Carvajal, E Donoso
1Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Odontología, Urgencia Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile. alinossi@abello.dic.uchile.cl
Background:
High fluorine concentrations in drinking water are associated with a decrease in the amount of salivary S mutants. Taking into account that clinical dental fluorosis can appear with 1.5 ppm of fluorine in the drinking water, fluorine concentrations in Mamiña is 2.4 ppm.
Aim:
To quantify salivary S mutans in school age children from Mamiña, a zone with a high fluorine content in the drinking water, during one year.
Material And Methods:
During 1997 and 1998, dental health was assessed and salivary samples were obtained from 51 children (27 male) aged 10 +/- 2 years to quantify S mutans.
Results:
Most children studied had more than 10(5) salivary S mutans colony forming units. No changes in the rates of infection or dental health characteristics were observed during the observation year.
Conclusions:
High fluorine content in the drinking water did not have an effect on salivary S mutans infection in this population.
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