The cariogenicity of sucrose, glucose and maize starch in gnotobiotic rats mono-infected with strains of the bacteria Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus milleri.

Twenty-one-day-old weanling gnotobiotic WAG/RIJ rats were mono-infected with Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10832, Streptococcus salivarius JMB or Streptococcus milleri NCTC 11169, and maintained on a high carbohydrate diet containing sucrose, glucose or maize starch for 21-days. Fissure caries developed with all combinations of streptococcal strain and carbohydrate except maize starch/Streptococcus salivarius JMB. Caries incidence was highest with Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10832. For all species, the ranking of carbohydrates by cariogenic potential was sucrose greater than glucose greater than maize starch.