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Objectives:The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the antioxidant barrier in the saliva of children with caries, and its impact on the colonization of cariogenic bacteria. Methods:This is a cross-sectional study of 81 children aged 1–5 years. Antioxidant levels and salivary bacterial profiles were measured. Patients were divided into two groups as follows: initial stage decay, termed non-cavitated (1–2 inInternational Caries Detection and Assessment System(ICDAS)), and extensive decay, termed cavitated lesions (5–6 in ICDAS). The control group includes children without caries. Results:The linear regression model demonstrated that the GSH, GSSG, GSH/GSSG, and total antioxidant capacity levels are influenced (P < 0.05) by: the stage of caries and the dominant bacterial strain. Compared with the other groups (P < 0.001), the highest antioxidant parameters were recorded in the saliva of patients with cavitated lesions. Discussion:Our results indicate that the high levels of antioxidants in saliva increase significantly in children in line with the salivary cariogenic bacterial profiles and caries progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some diseases, a very important role is played by the ability of bacteria to form multi-dimensional complex structure known as biofilm. The most common disease of the oral cavity, known as dental caries, is a top leader. Streptococcus mutans, one of the many etiological factors of dental caries, is a microorganism which is able to acquire new properties allowing for the expression of pathogenicity determinants determining its virulence in specific environmental conditions. Through the mechanism of adhesion to a solid surface, S. mutans is capable of colonizing the oral cavity and also of forming bacterial biofilm. Additional properties enabling S. mutans to colonize the oral cavity include the ability to survive in an acidic environment and specific interaction with other microorganisms colonizing this ecosystem. This review is an attempt to establish which characteristics associated with biofilm formation-virulence determinants of S. mutans-are responsible for the development of dental caries. In order to extend the knowledge of the nature of Streptococcus infections, an attempt to face the following problems will be made: Biofilm formation as a complex process of protein-bacterium interaction. To what extent do microorganisms of the cariogenic flora exemplified by S. mutans differ in virulence determinants 'expression' from microorganisms of physiological flora? How does the environment of the oral cavity and its microorganisms affect the biofilm formation of dominant species? How do selected inhibitors affect the biofilm formation of cariogenic microorganisms? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus infections are still one of the important problems facing contemporary medicine. As the World Health Organization (WHO) warns, Streptococcus pneumoniae is responsible for the highest number of pneumonia cases all over the world. Despite an increasing number of pneumococcal vaccinations, incidences of disease connected to this pathogen's infection stay at the same level, which is related to a constantly increasing number of infections caused by nonvaccinal serotypes. Unfortunately, the pathogenicity of bacteria of the Streptococcus genus is also connected to species considered to be physiological flora in humans or animals and, additionally, new species exhibiting pathogenic potential have been discovered. This paper presents an opinion concerning the epidemiology of streptococci infections based on case studies and other publications devoted to this problem. It also sheds new light based on recent reports on the prevention of protective vaccinations application in the case of streptococci infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]