effect of diet education program on salivary streptococcus mutans count in a group of Egyptian children

ABSTRACT

In this study a trial was madeto evaluate the effect of a proper diet educational program on the viable count of Streptococcus mutans in a group of Egyptian children. The study was conducted on 110 children their ages ranged from 2-5 years. They were divided into two groups, the motivated group included 56 children of both sexes and the control group included 54 children of both sexes. It was found that there was a direct relation between the condition of dental caries and the age of children in both groups, also there was a direct relation between the viable count of Streptococcus mutans and the age of children, and the condition of dental caries in children of both groups. There was a significant decrease of the viable count of Streptococcus mutans after treatment of carious teeth. At the end of the study, there was a significant decrease in the mean of the viable count of the salivary Streptococcus mutans after the application of the diet health education program for the motivation group. While for those of the control group, there was a significant increase in the viable Count of the salivary Streptococcus mutans after the 6-month study period