Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1982 Jun;36(3):977–982. doi: 10.1128/iai.36.3.977-982.1982

Predominant cultivable microflora of human dental fissure plaque.

E Theilade, O Fejerskov, T Karring, J Theilade
PMCID: PMC551427  PMID: 7095858

Abstract

Plaque developed in 10 occlusal fissures from unerupted third molars during implantation for 200 to 270 days in lower molars of dental students was studied. To characterize the predominant cultivable flora, 592 isolates (51 to 67 from each fissure) were subcultured from anaerobic roll tubes. Twenty-eight of the isolates were lost. Streptococci constituted 8 to 86% (median, 45%) of the isolates, Streptococcus mutans constituted 0 to 86% (median, 25%) and S. sanguis constituted 0 to 15% (median, 1%). A few isolates of "S. mitior" and "S. milleri" were found, but no S. salivarius. Staphylococci made up 0 to 23% (median, 9%). Gram-positive rods constituted 6 to 59% (median, 35%). Of these, 0 to 46% (median, 18%) were Actinomyces naeslundii and A. viscosus, but no anaerobic actinomyces were isolated. Arachnia and propionibacteria made up small proportions, lactobacilli were isolated from two fissures, constituting 10 and 29%, and eubacteria were isolated from one fissure (27%). Gram-negative cocci made up 0 to 46% (media, 4%). Only two isolates of gram-negative rods were found, both facultative anaerobes. Although 8 of the 10 fissures had large proportions of S. mutans, lactobacilli, or both, no caries was found even with microradiography. The large individual variation probably reflects differences in initial colonization from saliva and in growth conditions in each fissure.

Full text

PDF
977

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Berman D. S., Slack G. L. Susceptibility of tooth surfaces to carious attack. A longitudinal study. Br Dent J. 1973 Feb 20;134(4):135–139. doi: 10.1038/sj.bdj.4802968. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Carlsson J. A numerical taxonomic study of human oral streptococci. Odontol Revy. 1968;19(2):137–160. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Carlsson J. Presence of various types of non-haemolytic streptococci in dental plaque and in other sites of the oral cavity in man. Odontol Revy. 1967;18(1):55–74. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Carlsson J. Simplified gas chromatographic procedure for identification of bacterial metabolic products. Appl Microbiol. 1973 Feb;25(2):287–289. doi: 10.1128/am.25.2.287-289.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fejerskov O., Silness J., Karring T., Löe H. The occlusal fissure of unerupted third molars as an experimental caries model in man. Scand J Dent Res. 1976 May;84(3):142–149. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0722.1976.tb00472.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Galil K. A., Gwinnett A. J. Scanning electron microscopy: observations on occlusal human dental plaque. J Can Dent Assoc (Tor) 1973 Jul;39(7):472–475. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gibbons R. J., Banghart S. B. Synthesis of extracellular dextran by cariogenic bacteria and its presence in human dental plaque. Arch Oral Biol. 1967 Jan;12(1):11–23. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(67)90137-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hardie J. M., Bowden G. H. Physiological classification of oral viridans streptococci. J Dent Res. 1976 Jan;55:A166–A176. doi: 10.1177/002203457605500108011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ikeda T., Sandham H. J., Bradley E. L., Jr Changes in Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli in plaque in relation to the initiation of dental caries in Negro children. Arch Oral Biol. 1973 Apr;18(4):555–566. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(73)90076-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Jensen S. B., Löe H., Schiött C. R., Theliade E. Experimental gingivitis in man. 4. Vancomycin induced changes in bacterial plaque composition as related to development of gingival inflammation. J Periodontal Res. 1968;3(4):284–293. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1968.tb01934.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Loesche W. J., Straffon L. H. Longitudinal investigation of the role of Streptococcus mutans in human fissure decay. Infect Immun. 1979 Nov;26(2):498–507. doi: 10.1128/iai.26.2.498-507.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Löe H., Karring T., Theilade E. An in vivo method for the study of the microbiology of occlusal fissures. Caries Res. 1973;7(2):120–129. doi: 10.1159/000259836. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Mejàre B., Edwardsson S. Streptococcus milleri (Guthof); an indigenous organism of the human oral cavity. Arch Oral Biol. 1975 Nov;20(11):757–762. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(75)90048-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Svanberg M., Loesche W. J. The salivary concentration of Streptococci mutans and Streptococci sanguis and their colonization of artificial tooth fissures in man. Arch Oral Biol. 1977;22(7):441–447. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(77)90125-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Syed S. A., Loesche W. J. Survival of human dental plaque flora in various transport media. Appl Microbiol. 1972 Oct;24(4):638–644. doi: 10.1128/am.24.4.638-644.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Theilade E., Fejerskov O., Karring T., Theilade J. A microbiological study of old plaque in occlusal fissures of human teeth. Caries Res. 1978;12(6):313–319. doi: 10.1159/000260350. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Theilade E., Fejerskov O., Prachyabrued W., Kilian M. Microbiologic study on developing plaque in human fissures. Scand J Dent Res. 1974;82(6):420–427. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0722.1974.tb00396.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Theilade E., Larson R. H., Karring T. Microbiological studies of plaque in artificial fissures implanted in human teeth. Caries Res. 1973;7(2):130–138. doi: 10.1159/000259837. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Theilade J., Fejerskov O., Horsted M. A transmission electron microscopic study of 7-day old bacterial plaque in human tooth fissures. Arch Oral Biol. 1976;21(10):587–598. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(76)90028-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Theilade J., Karring T., Ostergaard E., Loe H. Electron microscopic study of the formation of dental plaque in artificial fissures. J Biol Buccale. 1974 Dec;2(4):375–393. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Thott E. K., Folke L. E., Sveen O. B. A microbiologic study of human fissure plaque. Scand J Dent Res. 1974;82(6):428–436. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0722.1974.tb00397.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. WHITTENBURY R. HYDROGEN PEROXIDE FORMATION AND CATALASE ACTIVITY IN THE LACTIC ACID BACTERIA. J Gen Microbiol. 1964 Apr;35:13–26. doi: 10.1099/00221287-35-1-13. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES