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Point-of-care salivary microbial tests for detection of cariogenic species — Clinical relevance thereof — review

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Abstract

Dental caries is a highly prevalent multifactorial disease that can result in serious health impairment. It was shown that oral bacteria play a significant role in caries development. Point-of-care (POC) salivary microbial tests for detection of cariogenic species have been investigated as a potential tool for caries risk assessment. This review aims to evaluate clinical relevance of these tests in the light of recent scientific evidence. Methodology involved PubMed search using key words salivary microbial tests, cariogenic bacteria and caries risk prediction. Articles obtained by the search were cross-referenced to obtain further sources. Specificity and negative-predictive value of these tests are higher than their sensitivity and positive value. Predictive power of the POC salivary microbial tests as a single predictor is generally weak, although it increases when included in multifactorial models for caries prediction. Literature findings support the use of these tests for screening of at-risk individuals in a population of young preschool children without visible caries and for motivation of subjects on individual level. POC salivary microbial tests are simple and inexpensive and, therefore, may be advantageous from public health perspective.

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Abbreviations

PCR:

polymerase chain reaction

POC:

point-of-care

RAPD:

random amplified polymorphic DNA

S.m. :

Streptococcus mutans

TCS(s):

transduction system(s)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Dental Research, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and General Teaching Hospital in Prague, 121 11, Prague, Czech Republic

    E. Lenčová & Z. Broukal

  2. Institute of Microbiology, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic

    J. Spížek

Authors
  1. E. Lenčová
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  2. Z. Broukal
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  3. J. Spížek
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Correspondence to E. Lenčová.

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Lenčová, E., Broukal, Z. & Spížek, J. Point-of-care salivary microbial tests for detection of cariogenic species — Clinical relevance thereof — review . Folia Microbiol 55, 559–568 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-010-0090-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-010-0090-x

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