Further Studies of a Differential Culture Technique for Estimations of Acidogenic Bacteria in Saliva

Abstract

A quantitative "acidogenic count" was used which permitted differentiation of lactobacilli from streptococci without suppression of the latter, making possible estimations of the numbers of both bacteria in salivas from a group of institutionalized children. Repeated counts over a 2-yr. period were compared with tomato agar counts and Snyder tests, as well as with concurrent clinical examinations. The results emphasized once more the notable coincidence between high counts of salivary lactobacilli and progressive dental caries. The streptococcus counts failed to reveal any parallelism between carious conditions and these bacteria, which appeared to reside in the mouths of all children and to proliferate in enormous numbers.