Sorbitol-fermenting predominant cultivable flora of human dental plaque in relation to sorbitol adaptation and salivary secretion rate.

The sorbitol-fermenting predominant flora of human dental plaque was studied in 12 people with low and 11 with normal salivary secretion rates before and after a period of frequent mouth rinses with sorbitol solution. A total of 277 sorbitol-fermenting isolates are described by their morphological and physiological characteristics. The flora was almost exclusively composed of gram-positive bacteria belonging to the genera Streptococcus, Lactobacillus and Actinomyces in people with low secretion rates and Streptococcus and Actinomyces in those with normal salivation. At the species level, Streptococcus mutans predominated in all. The frequent use of sorbitol resulted in an increase of the streptococcal species mainly and particularly of Streptococcus sanguis I in people with normal salivation. The counts of lactobacilli and Actinomyces remained unaffected. Almost all isolates appeared to belong to the resident plaque flora. Succession of new sorbitol-fermenting genera to the plaque community could not be observed as a result of the frequent exposure of the mouth to sorbitol.