[Possibilities of assessing the individual caries risk using microbiological parameters]

The most commonly used microbiological tests for identifying patients with high caries activity are based on quantitative or semi-quantitative counts of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli. In a review the prognostic value of such tests is discussed and shown, that in spite of partially high prediction rates, the prognostic value of either S. mutans or Lactobacillus tests can be confirmed only in combination with additional relevant clinical parameters (e.g. anamnesis, DMF-increment, secretation rate and bufferin capacity of saliva...).