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Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Relationship between feeding habits and mutans streptococci colonization in a group of Spanish children aged 15-20
Marta Lamas1, Angel González, Elena Barbería
1Community Health Center, Collado-Villalba, Madrid, Spain. martalamas@terra.es
Purposes:
(1) To determine the prevalence of mutans streptococci (MS) in a group of Spanish children aged 15-20 months, and (2) to analyze the relationship between early colonization and feeding habits.
Methods:
In a group of 56 children, various feeding habits with a possible influence on early MS colonization were registered using a questionnaire; saliva samples were taken with a tongue blade in order to detect MS presence.
Results:
As many as 73% of the children used a nursing bottle at this age, often with sugar content (cereal was added in 83% of children, who were still bottle-fed). The percentage of MS colonization was relatively high (46%), although no child presented caries at the time. A statistically significant relationship (P < 0.05) was found between MS colonization and sweetening of the bottle contents. A relation was also found, though not significant, between MS colonization and the absence of breastfeeding or, on the other hand, the excessive prolongation of natural or artificial feeding.
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