Lactobacillus species associated with active caries lesions.

Lactobacilli that are most frequently associated with active caries lesions in dentine were isolated and identified as part of a research project which aims to determine the role of the predominant species of these organisms in the carious process. Samples of carious dentine were collected from 12 patients with open caries lesions (Group A) and stimulated saliva samples were collected from 12 patients with a DMFT = 0 and confirmed presence of lactobacilli in the oral cavity (Group B). After serial dilutions samples were plated on Rogosa agar and incubated anaerobically at 37 degrees C for 48 hours. Representative colonies were isolated from each sample, using Harrison's disc and species were identified by classical taxonomy. A total of 153 isolates were identified. The redefinition and description of lactobacilli species in recent systematic literature resulted in a new and different species composition of oral lactobacilli as shown in this study, namely: homofermentative species (Group A = 82 per cent; Group B = 90 per cent) were predominantly Lactobacillus paracasei (Group A = 39 per cent; Group B = 30 percent) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Group A = 31 per cent; Group B = 41 per cent). Heterofermentative species (Group A = 18 per cent; Group B = 10 per cent) were predominantly Lactobacillus fermentum (Group A = 68 per cent; Group B = 100 percent).