Comparison of Saliva-Check Mutans and Saliva-Check IgA Mutans with the Cariogram for caries risk assessment.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the combined use of two rapid, semiquantitative detection kits (Saliva-Check Mutans and Saliva-Check IgA Mutans) to assess caries risk using the Cariogram computer-based program as a reference method. Stimulated saliva samples were collected from 71 subjects, 20-73 yr of age, and the number of Streptococcus mutans per ml of saliva was measured using Saliva-Check Mutans. After 15 min, a red line in the test detection window indicated >5 × 10(5) colony-forming units (CFU) of S. mutans per ml of saliva. The concentration of salivary IgA in relation to the number of mutans streptococci was examined using the Saliva-Check IgA Mutans test kit. The presence or absence of a red line after 15 min indicated a high or a low concentration of IgA, respectively. By combining the results obtained from these two test systems, each patient was classified into one of four groups of low to high caries risk. Compared with the Cariogram data, the combined results of both detection kits showed that 39 (95%) of 41 subjects had a high chance of avoiding caries and 20 (67%) of 30 subjects had a low chance. The data suggest that the combination of Saliva-Check Mutans and Saliva-Check IgA Mutans could be used for caries risk assessment.

Effect of chlorhexidine gel on approximal caries increment in adolescents with high caries risk using professional flossing compared to individual trays.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chlorhexidine gel treatment on approximal caries development during a three year-study in children with expected high risk of caries. New caries of this group was compared to the caries development in two groups with assumed moderate or low caries risk. One hundred and sixty-nine of 201 twelve-year-old children fulfilled the trial. A group of 77 children showed no caries experience and was expected to be a low caries risk group (R1). Ninety-two children had at least one approximal lesion and their salivary numbers of mutans streptococci (ms) were quantified. Forty-six of those showed less than 3 x 10(5) ms per ml saliva and were supposed to have a moderate caries risk (R2). Forty-six children, with high levels of ms, were expected to have a high caries risk (R3). Both R1 and R3 were treated with fluoride varnish every 18th month and R2 every 6th month. The R3 group was supplementary treated with 1% chlorhexidine gel (Corsodyl) by using either flossing combined with polishing (Flossing group), or gel in individual trays (Tray group) every third month, in two subsequent days. The mean caries development during three years was for R1 and R2, 1.5 and 3.0, respectively. For R3, the corresponding caries incidence was 2.9 in the Tray group and 2.8 in the Flossing group. Significantly less new caries was found in the R1 compared to R2 and R3, but no significant difference was found between R2 and R3 or between the two groups of R3. In conclusion both methods of professional chlorhexidine gel treatments showed a caries development corresponding to the group with moderate caries risk and could both be used for caries prevention.