Detection and distribution of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in the primary dentition

The occurrence of actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.) in plaque samples from the primary dentition was studied in 55 healthy Finnish children from four to seven years of age. A.a. was isolated in seven (13%) children, four boys and three girls. A further examination of the distribution and infection level of A.a. in the oral cavity of five of the A.a.-positive children revealed that A.a. was found in 26 of 45 plaque samples (7-10 samples from each child) and in all samples obtained from the dorsum of the tongue. The individual detection rates of A.a. were 3/7, 5/10, 6/10, 6/10 and 6/8 of the dental sites examined. A.a. occurred in 9/10 of the second primary molars, 8/10 of the first primary molars, 5/10 of the cuspids, 4/8 of the upper incisors and in none of the lower incisors examined. The proportions of A.a. within the dentition had a wide range. In 58% of the A.a.-positive samples, the proportions were less than 1%, and none exceeded 10% of the flora. Gingival bleeding after sampling with floss occurred more than twice as frequently in the A.a.-positive as in the A.a.-negative sites (16%/42%). The results indicate that A.a. was a rather frequent member of the oral flora in the children with primary teeth. The primary molars and the dorsum of the tongue seemed to be preferred sites for A.a. More than one site should be sampled to determine the infection level of A.a. within the dentition.