Helicobacter pylori present in caries sample among dental caries patients

Helicobacter pylori is Gram negative bacteria, the reason for causing peptic ulcer. There is suggestion between the presence of H. pylori in oral cavity and gastritis. The present study aimed to detect H. pylori in dental caries samples. The study included 29 dental caries patients from both sexes (13 males and 16 females), with different age groups (children and adult), and nine apparently healthy subject as a control group (2 males & 7 females). Dental caries samples were collected and investigated for this study from patients with dental caries who visited the Dental Faculty in the College of Dentistry, University of Babylon, Iraq. H. pylori antigen was detected using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Of the 29 dental caries patients, 19 (65.51%) patients were positive for H. pylori antigen test. Most of them were in the age group 20-30 (9 patients) & 30-40 (8 patients). The age groups (10-20) & (40-50) years shows 100% positivity for H. pylori antigen. Also, result was recorded significant higher difference's between H. pylori positive antigen between dental caries patients and H. pylori positive antigen among control group. (t=2.697,df=5, p≤ 0.05). Pearson correlation recorded significantly higher association between the presence of H. pylori antigen and the dental caries infection among test group (r=1, p≤ 0.000), 4 (44.5%) of the 9 control subjects, without dental caries, were positive for H. pylori antigen test. In summary, the H. pylori positive antigen test was recorded in both dental caries patients (65.51%) and in the control group (62.5 %). In conclusion, H. pylori antigen was present in dental caries patients. This could indicate that the bacteria H. pylori present in dental caries samples may contribute to caries processes.