Associations between microbiological and salivary caries activity tests and caries experience in Hungarian adolescents

The aim of the study was to assess caries prevalence in connection with sal ivary caries-related findings in 349 14- to le-year-old Hungarian adolescen ts living in two different cities. DMFT, DMFS means, stimulated salivary fl ow, buffer capacity, mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and candida counts i n saliva were determined. The ratio of caries-free adolescents was 4.6% in the total population sample, DMFT mean values were 7.24+/-4.86, DMFS means 10.50+/-8.35, Mean secretion rate of stimulated saliva was 0.84+/-0.50; a l ow buffer capacity was found in 6.3% of the examined children. The ratio of carriers of mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and yeasts in saliva was 89. 7, 73.9 and 47.7%, respectively. DMFT and DMFS values as well as mutans str eptococci and candida counts were lower in the capital than in the other ci ty. Statistically significant correlations were found between DMFT, DMFS me an values, and salivary microbiological counts.