DEVELOPMENT OF PREVENTIVE MEASURES BASED ON THE ETIOLOGY OF DENTAL-CARIES - A REVIEW

Mutans streptococci including Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus s obrinus are aetiologically associated with the development of dental c aries in humans and experimental animals. These organisms produce gluc osyltransferases (GTases), which catalyse the synthesis of adherent gl ucan from sucrose, promoting the adherence of the organisms to the too th surface. In addition, they release large quantities of acids from v arious dietary sugars. These are the essential virulence factors of mu tans streptococci. We found that structural isomers of sucrose such as palatinose and trehalulose were not utilised by the organisms and no significant glucans or acids were produced. Another interesting sucros e substitute would be sugar alcohol; maltitol and palatinit are good e xamples. Other unique compounds developed recently are oligosaccharide s rich in isomaltose and panose, which contain alpha (1 --> 6) glucosi dic linkage. They strongly inhibit glucan synthesis from sucrose by GT ases, and cannot be degraded by most oral streptococci. These sucrose substitutes are now manufactured on an industrial scale. Enzymatic inh ibition of GTases is an alternative measure to suppress caries develop ment. Polymeric polyphenol compounds from oolong tea and hen egg yolk IgG specific for cell-associated GTase Of mutans streptococci have bee n shown to exhibit marked GTase inhibition and decrease in caries deve lopment in rats.