Journal of Dental Research, Vol 55, 216-222, Copyright © 1976 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Studies of the mechanism of sucrose-associated colonization of Streptococcus mutans on teeth of conventional rats
J. Van Houte and V. N. Upeslacis
The mechanism of the colonization of S mutans strain 6715 on teeth in the
presence of sucrose has been investigated using conventional Sprague-Dawley
rats. Experiments were performed using rats fed diets with 56% sucrose or
56% glucose; oral inoculations with sucrose-grown, extracellular
glucan-coated cells and glucose-grown, uncoated cells; and teeth treated
with dextran 2000 via its incorportation in the diet, or teeth left
untreated. In all instances, sucrose was required for satisfactory
colonization of the test strain. Preformed extracellular glucan, whether
associated with the bacterial cell or with the tooth surface, did not
facilitate bacterial colonization when compared with cells or teeth devoid
of extracellular glucan under the conditions used. The evidence suggests
that glucan-mediated attachment of S mutans strain 6715 in the presence of
sucrose involves an initial phase in which the cells are relatively weakly
associated with the tooth surface and a subsequent phase during which
firmer attachment occurs via new glucan synthesis.
