Naturally-occurring IgA antibodies to glycerol-teichoic acid in human saliva. Correlation with caries activity.

Human subjects were examined for caries activity and for naturally-occurring salivary IgA of glycerol-teichoic acid (TA) specificity by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Subjects free of active caries produced higher levels of anti-TA in their saliva than persons with one or more active carious lesions.