Browsing by Author "Matee, Mecky"

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    Microbiology and associated factors of rampant caries a Tanzanian child population
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1993) Matee, Mecky
    This study was prompted by the observations of rampant caries resembling nursing caries in Tanzanian infants aged between 12 – 30 months in the absence of nursing bottles, sweetened pacifiers and feeding abuse during weaning. In an attempt to elucidate factors responsible for rampant caries among these infants, microbiological and epidemiological studies were undertaken. Dental plaque and unstimulated saliva samples were collected from infants with and without rampant caries. Mutans streptococci and lactobacilli were isolated from dental plaque of all infants with rampant caries and from most caries free infants. The quantitative bacteriological differences were not explicit in explaining the occurrence of rampant caries because many of caries free infants had as much mutans streptococcus mutans was the only mutans streptococcus species found to occur among the investigated caries actives and caries free infants. Consequently the caries status of the infants could not be associated with a specific mutans streptococcus species. The heavy oral loads of mutans streptococci in breast fed infants and in weaned children on starch diets found in this study have not been reported previously. For this reason, fed the establishment of S. mutans was investigated in dental plaque of specific pathogen free (SPF) rats fed starch and lactose diets which approximated those consumed by the infants. S. mutans established in high numbers in rats on the investigated diets, fitting well with the bacteriological findings in the infants. The ability of S.mutans to ferment carbohydrates in flours commonly consumed by the invesS.mutans stigated infants was investigated in vitro using forty four S.mutans strains isolated from Tanzanian infants. The amounts of acid produced cannot result into caries formation, but suggested a possible ecological role of the tested flour in the occurrence of S.mutans in dental plaque. A part from microbiological studies, the occurrence of rampant caries was investigated in relation to enamel hypoplasia, nursing and weaning habits. The overall prevalence of rampat caries was found to be 6.8%. the occurrence of rampant caries was significantly associated with linear hypoplasia and the breast feeding habit of allowing infants to sleep with the breast nipple inside their mouths. It is concluded that prevention of rampant caries with have to involve abolishing of the night breast feeding practice. Further studies are suggested to investigate factors which influence the occurrence of linear hypoplasia among the Tanzanian infants.