M. Okada et al., Detection of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis in dental plaque samples from children 2 to 12 years of age, J CLIN PER, 27(10), 2000, pp. 763-768
The purpose of this study was to detect the presence of Actinobacillus acti
nomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis in plaque samples from 104 c
hildren, collected from their toothbrushes using a polymerase chain reactio
n (PCR). The age range of all subjects was 2-12 years. 21, 73 and 10 childr
en with healthy gingiva, gingivitis and periodontitis respectively were sel
ected. Plaque samples were collected from all erupted teeth sites using a s
terile toothbrush. The mean concentration of DNA recovered from brushing pl
aque samples was approximately 660 mu g/ml, which was sufficient for perfor
ming a PCR-based survey. Both A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis we
re detected in the primary and mixed dentition. The prevalence of A. actino
mycetemcomitans in healthy subjects was 4.8%, and those with gingivitis and
periodontitis was 6.8% and 20.0% respectively, while the prevalence of P.
gingivalis was 4.8% in healthy subjects, and 9.6% and 20.0% in those with g
ingivitis and periodontitis, respectively. Our survey, using a toothbrush,
indicated that A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis are rarely presen
t in oral cavities of healthy children.