TABLE 1.

Comparison of the microbiota recovered from demineralized dentine sampled from enamel caries lesions (initial sample) and 5 months later following removal of the restoration (final sample)^a

Parameter	Initial sample (n = 10)		Final sample (n = 10)
	Mean ± SE	Median	Mean ± SE	Median
Total microbial counts
Anaerobic count	4.6 ± 0.2b	4.7	2.2 ± 0.1b	2.2
Aerobic count	4.6 ± 0.2	4.6	2.2 ± 0.1	2.2
Count (pH 4.8) MPN	2.9 ± 0.3	3.1	0.6 ± 0.1	0.7
Count (pH 5.2) MPN	3.1 ± 0.3	3.3	0.9 ± 0.1	0.9
Count (pH 7.0) MPN	4.5 ± 0.2	4.4	2.1 ± 0.1	2.1
Proportion of total anaerobic count
Lactobacilli	14.8 ± 5.5 (8)c	9.7	NDd	ND
Veillonella spp.	0.2 ± 0.2 (5)	<0.01	ND	ND
Total streptococci	4.4 ± 1.1 (10)	3.8	39.0 ± 2.1 (10)c	37.8
S. parasanguinis	1.9 ± 0.6 (8)	1.61	ND	ND
S. gordonii	0.2 ± 0.01 (4)	<0.01	ND	ND
S. oralis	0.5 ± 0.2 (7)	1.7	37.9 ± 1.8 (10)	37.7
S. mitis	0.2 ± 0.01 (6)	<0.01	0.6 ± 0.4 (2)	<0.01
S. intermedius	0.3 ± 0.1 (6)	0.2	0.5 ± 0.5 (1)	<0.01
S. anginosus	0.7 ± 0.3 (8)	0.2	ND	ND
S. mutans	1.4 ± 0.4 (9)	1.1	ND	ND
S. sobrinus	0.01 ± 0.01 (3)	<0.01	ND	ND
Gram-positive pleomorphic rods	80.7 ± 5.4 (10)	87.1	61.0 ± 2.1 (10)	62.2
A. naeslundii	44.4 ± 2.8 (10)	46.6	61.0 ± 2.1 (10)	62.2
A. israelii	13.0 ± 4.0 (10)	9.5	ND	ND
A. gerencseriae	23.4 ± 3.3 (10)	22.9	ND	ND
Proportion of MPN count at pH 7.0
Total count (pH 4.8) MPN	3.5 ± 0.8	3.1	2.7 ± 0.3	2.8
Total count (pH 5.2) MPN	6.2 ± 1.7	4.9	5.3 ± 0.5	5.8

^aNumbers in boldface indicate significant differences between initial and final samples (P < 0.05).

^bLog₁₀ (CFU per sample + 1) ± SE.

^cProportion (number of samples positive for the microorganism).

^dND, not detected.