Abstract:

Objective  To screen of high cariogenicity Streptococcus mutan( (S. mutans) strains isolated from clinical specimens preliminary. Methods  Acidogenicity, aciduricity, extracellular polysaccharide production and adhesion of 41 strains of S. mutans isolated from clinical specimens were investigated to screen high cariogenicity S. mutans strains. Results There were different cariogenicity among 41 strains of S. mutans, in which 3 strains of S. mutans had all high ability to produce extracellular polysaccharide, adhere to the saliva-coated hydroxyapatite, produce acid and tolerate acid, indicated there were 3 strains with high cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens. Another 3 strains of S. mutans with all low ability to produce extracellular polysaccharide, adhere to the saliva-coated hydroxyapa- tite, produce acid and tolerate acid indicated they were low cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens. Conclusion  We may have obtained high cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens.

Key words: Streptococcus mutans, acidogenicity, aciduricity, adhesion, extracellular polysaccharide, screen