Levels of Streptococcus Mutans in Children with Severe Early Childhood Caries and their Mothers. A Comparative Study in a group of Egyptian Children.

Abstract

This study was carried out to detect whether there is a correlation between levels of streptococcus mutans in a group of Egyptian children and that of their mothers; in addition to assess whether vertical transmission has a role in the initiation of severe early childhood caries. A total of 40 mother-child pairs were included in this study. The age of children ranged from 24-36 months. The samples were divided into two main groups: the first group was the control group which included 20 mother-child pairs where the children were caries free (Caries free group; gp1). The second group was the study group which also included 20 pairs where the children showed SECC (Caries affected group; gp2). Mothers and their children were clinically examined by the same examiner for dental caries experience, which was recorded using Decayed, Missing, Filled teeth index (DMF) for mothers and decayed, missing, filled teeth index (dmf) for children. Mothers were interviewed and a direct questionnaire specially designed for the purpose of this study was filled by the examiner. From the questionnaire, mother-child pairs show intimate or non-intimate relation. Salivary samples were collected from mothers and their children, serially diluted in a saline, plated on Mitis Salivaruis Bacitracin Agar media and incubated in an anaerobic atmosphere of 5 – 10% Carbon dioxide, at 37°C for 48-72 hours. Salivary Streptococcus mutans counts of mothers and their children were then counted and recorded. Data from clinical examination and bacteriological counts were subjected to statistical analysis. Results revealed that both DMF of mothers and dmf of children as well as their respective salivary streptococcus mutans counts had a positive correlation in both tested groups. From these results, a vertical transmission of streptococcus mutans from mothers to their children was suggested.