What is the shape of Streptococcus mutans bacteria?
The bacterium Streptococcus mutans is an example of a spherical (coccus) bacterium. This species of bacteria commonly aggregates into pairs and short chains.
How do I know if I have Streptococcus mutans?
A method was developed to identify Streptococcus mutans in natural dental plaque by indirect immunofluorescence staining, using a high-titred polyclonal antiserum raised against a serotype c strain of S. mutans followed by an FITC conjugate.
How does Streptococcus mutans form?
Many types of bacteria, both good and bad, are always present in your mouth. Streptococcus mutans is a bacteria that naturally forms in your mouth and can build up on the surfaces of teeth at any age – from infancy before baby teeth erupt and even in adults who have had their permanent teeth for decades.
How do you test for streptococcus mutans?
mutans tests are conducted on collected saliva and are sensitive enough to provide a degree of low, medium, or high cariogenic bacterial challenge. The most common culture-based medium to test for streptococci is the Mitis-Salivarius agar or Mitis Salivarious agar with bacitracin (MSB).
What antibiotics treat streptococcus mutans?
Results: Ampicillin, cefotaxime cefazolin, methicillin and clindamycin were the most effective antibiotics against S. mutans isolates and resistance rate for them do not exceed 2.3%. The highest resistance rates were against erythromycin (24.1%), lincomycin (28.7%) followed by penicillin (14.9% in children S.
How do you treat streptococcus mutans?
As decay does not form without strep mutans, one approach to staying cavity-free is to reduce strep mutans levels. Antibacterial mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine gluconate have been shown to reduce the level of bacteria in the mouth, including lowering the levels of strep mutans, resulting in a lower decay rate.
Is Streptococcus mutans antibiotic resistant?
mutans shows a high resistance rate against erythromycin (children isolates= 24.1%), and against lincomycin (mother isolates 28.7%). The resistance rate against penicillin was 14.9% in children S. mutans isolates and 8% in S. mutans mother isolates.