THE TOOTHPICK METHOD IN RELATION TO OTHER PLAQUE SAMPLING TECHNIQUES FOR EVALUATING MUTANS STREPTOCOCCI

The aim of the present study was to compare the use of toothpicks with other sampling methods for determination of mutans streptococci on di fferent tooth surfaces. In nine persons with >10(5) CFU per ml saliva of mutans streptococci, plaque samples were taken from 90 buccal and l ingual surfaces, 108 occlusal surfaces and 90 approximal surfaces with toothpicks. The prevalence of mutans streptococci on these tooth surf aces was compared with samples taken at four 1-week intervals on the s ame tooth surfaces with a carver (buccal/lingual surfaces), a needle ( occlusal surfaces) or a dental floss (approximal surfaces). Each sampl e was plated on MSB agar and the presence of mutans streptococci was e xpressed on a scale varying from 0 to 4. On two of the sampling occasi ons the amount of plaque, mirrored by total viable counts on blood aga r, was also determined. Only for buccal/lingual plaque samples was a d ifference in total counts between methods noted and then with higher t otal recoveries obtained after sampling with toothpicks. More surfaces were found to be positive for mutans streptococci when samples were t aken with a toothpick than with a carver, needle or floss. On surfaces positive for mutans streptococci the colonization score was higher in samples taken with a toothpick than with a carver or a needle while s amples taken with a floss showed a tendency to higher levels of mutans streptococci than samples collected with a toothpick. The data indica te that the results obtained by using toothpicks for evaluating the pr evalence of mutans streptococci on individual tooth surfaces compare f avorably with the other methods tested.