The value of salivary bacterial counts as a supplement to past caries experience as caries predictor in children

This study aimed to determine whether salivary mutans streptococci and lactobacilli counts could add any value to a combination or caries experience variables that was recently presented for the prediction or caries. Sixty-nine children at the age of 7.5 yr participated in this longitudinal study. Microbiological data were obtained at the ages of 7.5, 9.5 and 11.5 yr and caries data at the ages of 7.5, 9.5, 11.5, 13.5 and 15.5 yr. Spearman's correlation coefficients were computed, and forward multiple regression analyses were carried out using bacterial counts and caries experience parameters as explanatory variables and caries increment as a dependent variable. The explained variance (adjusted R-2 value) was the measure used to assess the additional value of bacterial counts to the caries predictive potential of the combined parameters of the past caries experience. Correlation coefficients between bacterial counts and 4-yr caries increment were from 0.22 up to 0.54. In all cases, the simultaneous streptococcus mutans-lactobacilli counts showed a statistically non-significant additional adjusted R-2 value or <0.06. The results do not lend support to the concept that these salivary bacterial counts are useful additional caries predictors for the mixed dentition, when a combination of caries experience parameters is used.