Associations between Microbiological and Salivary Caries Activity Tests and Caries Experience in Hungarian Adolescents

The aim of the study was to assess caries prevalence in connection with salivary caries–related findings in 349 14– to 16–year–old Hungarian adolescents living in two different cities. DMFT, DMFS means, stimulated salivary flow, buffer capacity, mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and candida counts in saliva were determined. The ratio of caries–free adolescents was 4.6% in the total population sample, DMFT mean values were 7.24±4.86, DMFS means 10.50±8.35. Mean secretion rate of stimulated saliva was 0.84±0.50; a low buffer capacity was found in 6.3% of the examined children. The ratio of carriers of mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and yeasts in saliva was 89.7, 73.9 and 47.7%, respectively. DMFT and DMFS values as well as mutans streptococci and candida counts were lower in the capital than in the other city. Statistically significant correlations were found between DMFT, DMFS mean values, and salivary microbiological counts.