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Review
. 2010 Mar;2(3):290-8.
doi: 10.3390/nu2030290. Epub 2010 Mar 2.

Streptococcus mutans, caries and simulation models

Sofia D Forssten  1 , Marika Björklund, Arthur C Ouwehand
Affiliations
Review

Streptococcus mutans, caries and simulation models

Sofia D Forssten et al. Nutrients. 2010 Mar.

Abstract

Dental caries and dental plaque are among the most common diseases worldwide, and are caused by a mixture of microorganisms and food debris. Specific types of acid-producing bacteria, especially Streptococcus mutans, colonize the dental surface and cause damage to the hard tooth structure in the presence of fermentable carbohydrates e.g., sucrose and fructose. This paper reviews the link between S. mutans and caries, as well as different simulation models that are available for studying caries. These models offer a valuable approach to study cariogenicity of different substrates as well as colonization of S. mutans.

Keywords: Caries; Streptococcus mutans; artificial saliva; carbohydrates; hydroxyapatite; simulation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Attachment of Streptococcus mutans Ingbritt to the HA disk by SEM in the presence of (a) artificial saliva, (b) artificial saliva containing 1% sucrose, (c) artificial saliva containing 1% sucrose and 4% xylitol. The surface of a clean (no bacteria attached) HA disk is represented in (d).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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