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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Effect of Mutans streptococcal colonization on plaque formation and regrowth in young children--a brief
Christian Lee1, Norman Tinanoff, Glenn Minah
1Dental School, University of Maryland, Baltimore 21201, USA.
Objectives:
Visible plaque on the maxillary anterior teeth of young children has been identified as a risk indicator for early childhood caries. The present study examined whether this plaque is related to the colonization of children's teeth with Mutans streptococci (MS) or toothbrushing frequency.
Methods:
Thirty-nine children, aged 12 to 36 months, had plaque scores, and plaque samples were taken from the labial surfaces of the maxillary incisors at baseline and repeated 3 days after suspended oral hygiene (plaque regrowth).
Results:
A positive correlation was found between the baseline percent MS and regrowth plaque score and between baseline and regrowth plaque scores. Plaque scores of those that brushed zero to one time a day were not different from those who brushed two or more times a day.
Conclusions:
This study suggests that the presence of plaque on the anterior teeth of young children is consistent and related to MS colonization.
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