Acquisition and transmission of mutans streptococci

Dental caries is an infectious and transmissible disease. The mutans streptococci and some Lactobacillus species are the two groups of infectious agents most strongly associated with dental caries. Earlier studies demonstrated that infants acquire mutans streptococci from their mothers and only afte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of the California Dental Association Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 135 - 137
Main Author Berkowitz, Robert J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.02.2003
Subjects
Child, Preschool
Dental Caries - microbiology
Dental Caries - prevention & control
Dentistry
Disease Transmission, Infectious
Family Health
Humans
Streptococcal Infections - transmission
Streptococcus mutans - pathogenicity
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Summary:Dental caries is an infectious and transmissible disease. The mutans streptococci and some Lactobacillus species are the two groups of infectious agents most strongly associated with dental caries. Earlier studies demonstrated that infants acquire mutans streptococci from their mothers and only after the eruption of primary teeth. More recent studies indicate that mutans streptococci can colonize the mouths of predentate infants and that horizontal, as well as vertical, transmission does occur. These findings will likely facilitate the development of clinical strategies to prevent or delay infant infection by these organisms, thereby reducing the prevalence of dental caries.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-3
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ObjectType-Review-1
ISSN:1043-2256
1942-4396
1942-4396
DOI:10.1080/19424396.2003.12224145