Serum and salivary antibodies to cariogenic bacteria in man.

Antibodies in serum and parotid saliva against cell wall preparations from four serotypes of S mutans were examined in 110 subjects aged 18 to 25 years. In subjects with no detectable carious lesions, significant negative correlations were found between the DMF index and serum IgG and IgM antibodies, especially in S mutans of serotype c, whereas positive correlations were found between the DMF index and salivary IgA antibodies. In subjects with active caries, positive correlations were found between serum IgG antibodies and S mutans (serotypes c and a) and the DMF index. Sequential antibody analysis during a period of up to 32 months showed that development of carious lesions was associated with a rise in serum antibody titer to S mutans, but no change was detectable in salivary antibodies. Treatment of caries led to a decrease in serum IgG and IgM antibodies to S mutans cell wall, but in parotid saliva an increase in antibody titer to a culture extract of S mutans was found. The results support the concept of dental caries as an infective disease and suggest that serum antibodies may contribute to caries immunity in man.