Collaborative WHO xylitol field studies in Hungary. IV. Saliva levels of Streptococcus mutans.

Salivary Streptococcus mutans was quantified to detect possible age-, sex-, and group-dependent differences at the end of a 3-year field study assessing the value of partial substitution of sucrose with xylitol (X group) in comparison with systemic administration of fluoride (F group) and restorative treatment solely (C group). The material of this substudy consisted of 390 institutionalized children aged 9-14 years. S. mutans was determined through the spatula technique and grouped into categories 0, less than 10(5), 10(5)-10(6), and and greater than 10(6) CFU/ml saliva. Zero to less than 10(5) values included more than 80% of the subjects of the X group. The cross-sectional comparison between groups showed lower S. mutans values in the X group than in the F and C groups. These differences between groups were highly significant. S. mutans was not dependent on age or sex.