STUDIES ON DENTAL CARIES, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ACIDURIC ORGANISMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROCESS I. ISOLATION AND DESCRIPTION OF ORGANISMS

Abstract

High acid-tolerating organisms occurred almost constantly in tooth enamel showing evidence of an initial pathological process. They were also generally present in the saliva of persons harboring carious teeth, but were comparatively rare in the saliva of non-carious mouths. The relatively high acidity produced by some of these aciduric forms was sufficient to cause decalcification of tooth enamel in vitro. It has never been possible in vivo to show these organisms directly responsible for production of tooth decay. This, however, does not prove that aciduric organisms may not be associated in an intimate way with dental caries. The mouth or tooth lactobacilli studied here, with few exceptions, differ markedly in certain important respects from Lactobacillus acidophilus Moro. Several morphological, cultural, biological and serological groups have been established. This suggests that there are several different species or types among the strains studied.