A ? for someone in the dental field?

Question

Have you heard of certain strains of Strep can cause cavities? My sister-in-law took my niece to the dentist for her teeth cleaning and found out she has 5 cavities and she said that the dentist told her that this can cause them. Is this for more that just one strain of Strep?

Answer 1

Perhaps the dentist was referring to mutans streptococci (MS). MS are considered to be the major disease producing bacteria. MS are found in relatively large numbers in the dental plaque. MS is a primary caustitive agent of dental caries (cavieities).
Mothers most often transmit the disease-causing MS b/c of the close and frequent contacts between mother and child during the first few years. The bacteria are transmitted through contact w/ saliva; for example, the mother may have tasted the food on a spoon before giving it to baby. When mothers have high counts of MS in their mouths, thier infants also have high counts of the same bacteria in their mouth. Therefore, women should be certain thier own mouths are healthy.
I hope this helps!!
Happy Holidays!

Answer 2

Strep Mutans is the culprit behind cavities and gum disease. Brushing twice daily for 2 minutes should keep down the bacteria. Be sure to clean the tongue, too.