Volume : 6, Issue : 1, January - 2017

Comparisons of mutans streptococci levels in saliva, before and after consumption of probiotic curd among school children at Ahmedabad

Dr Harsh Patel, Dr Pratik Rupakar

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;Aim: To compare mutans streptococci levels in saliva, before and after consumption of probiotic curd. &nbsp;Materials &amp; methods: Thirty caries free school children in the age group of 10-13 years of Ahmedabad city were selected and equally divided into two groups I and II which were given 200 ml probiotic curd and normal curd respectively for a period of 7 days. Saliva samples were assessed at baseline, 1 hour after consumption and after 7 days intervention period using Mitis Salivarius Bacitracin Agar. The number of colonies was counted and subjected to statistical analysis. Results: The study revealed a reduction in salivary mutans streptococci counts in saliva both after 1 hour and 7 days in probiotic group. The difference in the reduction of mutans streptococci counts with probiotic curd and normal curd at 1 hour and also at 7 days was statistically significant (p &le;0.05). Conclusion: The use of probiotic products could be an alternative strategy of displacing pathogenic microorganisms by probiotic bacteria and can thus be exploited for the prevention of enamel demineralization.</p>