Objective: To investigate the distribution pattern of salivary Streptococcus mutans (Sm) level in children and its association with caries status.
Methods: Three hundred and sixty-five 11- 12-year-old children participated in this study. Scores of decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT) for the permanent dentition were recorded. Salivary Sm concentrations were determined by species-specific monoclonal antibodies.
Results: Caries-affected children harbored more Sm in saliva [5.53 (1.50, 18.00) x 10(7)/L] than their caries-free counterparts [3.42 (1.60, 8.10) x 10(7)/L] (P = 0.002). Salivary Sm concentration tended to rise with the increase of DMFT score. Spearman's correlation coefficient for Sm concentration was 0.136 (P = 0.010). When salivary Sm concentration reached 8.64 x 10(7)/L, children's caries experience doubled.
Conclusions: Salivary Sm level has a skewed distribution among the children studied and associates positively with caries presence. Determination of salivary Sm levels could be used to predict children's caries status.