Correlating Streptococcus mutans with dental caries in young children using a clinically applicable microbiological method

The present study used a clinically applicable microbiological method to correlate Streptococcus mutans counts and dental caries prevalence in young children. The study population consisted of 37 subjects, between 16 and 60 months of age. Using a sterile tongue depressor, samples of unstimulated saliva were obtained from subjects and inoculated onto elevated agar plates containing a selective medium. Plates were incubated anaerobically at 37 degrees C for 48 h. chi 2 and multiple regression analyses gave highly significant relationships (p less than 0.01) between dental caries prevalence and the number of S. mutans colonies.