Oral colonization of Streptococcus mutans in Six-month-old Predentate Infants

Resident’s Name: Jessica Wilson
Program: Lutheran Medical Center - Providence

Article title: Oral colonization of Streptococcus mutans in Six-month-old Predentate Infants

Author(s): AKL Wan, WK Seow, DM Purdie, PS Bird, LJ Walsh, and DI Tudehope.

Journal: Dental Research

Year. Volume (number). Page #’s: 2001. 80(12). 2060-2065

Major topic: S. mutans colonization in infants

Overview of method of research:
Cotton swab samples were taken from 6o pre-term and 112 full-term six-month-old infants and their mothers (confirmed by repeat sampling 3 mo. later). Subjects were recruited randomly at birth at a hospital. SES, feeding habits and medical conditions were gathered by interview and questionnaires and confirmed with medical records.

Findings:
Every child that initially tested positive for S. mutans also tested positive at repeat sampling. Overall 50% pre-term and 60% pre-term predentate infants were found to be infected with S. mutans. Similar results were found when comparing pre-term and full-term infants throughout the study.

Key points/Summary:
-Most significant factor in the colonization of S. mutans in infants was an increased intake of sugar. Next was breastfeeding and then transfer from mother to child.
-Infants who slept next to their mothers, were breast fed on demand, received more than one feeding during the night and started solid foods at an earlier age were more likely to be infected.
-Mothers with infected infants had poorer oral hygiene, more perio disease, lower SES and snacked more frequently. However, a mother’s caries experience did not have a significant effect on their child’s S. mutans status.
-Multiple (at least 5) courses of antibiotics as well as daily cleaning of infants gums were found to be associated with the non-colonization of S. mutans.

Assessment of Article:
Good study, helps us to understand more of the underlying causes of the presence of cariogenic bacteria in infants as well as the possible modes of transmission from mother to child. It also reinforces the idea that antibiotic administration might one day be a preventative measure for oral colonization.