Relación entre el grado de infección por Streptococcus mutans y la posterior actividad cariogénica

the relationship between the degree of infection caused by streptococcus mutans and the cariogenic activity was evaluated by studying 355 children aged 7-14 selected by stratified cluster sampling. the infection degree in saliva was determined by using a technique based on the adherence of this microorganism. the prevalence and incidence of caries was established at one year and at two years. the results showed that children with a high infection degree had at one year 60 % of affectation by caries and an incidence of 1.3. a significant difference was observed in relation to those with low infection degree (x2 = p <0.001 and r = 0.11). two years later, children with a high infection degree developed 83.5 % of affectation and an incidence of 2.9, which represented a marked difference in comparison with the children with low infection and caries activity. this study may be of considerable value in the prognosis of risk for caries.