Isolation of acid producing sorbitol-adapted bacteria from dental plaque using selective agar media |
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Authors: | H A Linke M Castle |
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Institution: | Department of Microbiology, New York University Dental Center, New York 10010. |
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Abstract: | Acidogenic bacteria metabolizing sorbitol were isolated and identified from dental plaque of twenty nine volunteers, claiming to be users (sixteen) and non-users (thirteen) of sorbitol-containing chewing gum and candy. Sixty bacterial strains were isolated, using improved selective agar media. The taxonomy of twenty strains, all Gram-positive cocci, was determined employing a customized BBL MinitekR system and other biochemical reactions. The majority of these strains represented Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus acidominimus. Although sorbitol-metabolizing bacteria were found in plaque specimens of most persons tested, a larger number of acidogenic sorbitol degrading bacteria was detected in the plaque of the volunteer group claiming to use sorbitol-containing sweets. Bacteriological results indicate that frequent consumption of sorbitol-containing products will lead to a shift in oral ecology, numerically favouring sorbitol-metabolizing bacteria. These sorbitol adapted bacteria appear to be as acidogenic as Streptococcus mutans in the presence of ordinary sugars. |
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