Comparative growth responses of oral streptococci on mixed saliva or the separate submandibular and parotid secretions from caries-active and caries-free individuals.

Growth of S. mutans on mixed or parotid saliva from CF individuals may be influenced by the availability of growth-supportive proteins or the inhibitory activity present in parotid saliva. A deficiency in growth-supportive proteins may explain the limited growth of S. sanguis on mixed or submandibular saliva from these individuals.