THE ORAL PREVALENCE OF AEROBIC AND FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC GRAM-NEGATIVE RODS AND YEASTS IN SEMI-RECLUSE HUMAN VEGETARIANS

Limited data exist on the oral ecology of vegetarians. Hence the denta l and periodontal status, and the oral prevalence of aerobic and facul tatively anaerobic Gram-negative rods (AGNR) and yeasts, were studied in 36 semi-recluse, vegetarian, Buddhist monks and nuns in Hong Kong. The oral prevalence of AGNR and yeasts was 61.1% and 33.3%. There was no correlation between the prevalence of AGNR and/or yeasts and the in cidence of carious or filled teeth and the health status of the period ontium. Rather, the results of this study combined with those of previ ous studies suggest that increasing age and the consumption of food pr epared in communal kitchens might be more important contributory facto rs in the oral prevalence of AGNR than the nature of the diet itself o r the health of the dentition and periodontium. Copyright (C) 1996 Els evier Science Ltd.