Journal of Dental Research, Vol 63, 653-657, Copyright © 1984 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Factors involved in artificial caries induction by oral streptococci in extracted human teeth
H. W. Kaufman, J. J. Pollock, J. Murphy, S. Lunardi and J. Vlack
This study assesses the abilities of S. mutans GS5 and BHT and S. sanguis
G9B to produce subsurface lesions on smooth surfaces of extracted human
teeth and examines factors which might be responsible for any differences
encountered. Teeth were incubated in Brain Heart Infusion broth containing
2% sucrose and a pure culture of the organism to be tested, the media being
changed each day for eight days. Surface and media pH's were measured. The
mineral content of both the surface enamel and the subsurface lesions was
determined by contact microradiography. Significantly deeper and more
demineralized lesions were produced by GS5 than by either BHT or G9B. GS5
also produced a lower surface and medium pH and a more dense coating on the
teeth. Similar results were obtained with GS5 and G9B when the BHI broth
was replaced with FMC synthetic media. It is concluded that the system
described is suitable for studying cariogenic potential and will be useful
in measuring the anticariogenicity of suspected therapeutic agents.
