Molecular Detection of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus in Dental Plaque Samples in Children Aged Six to Nine Years

Context Dental caries is a widespread threat, usually in children, although it has been observed at other stages of life. Various pieces of literature have confirmed the prevalence of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus in the progression of the disease. However, establishing procedures to detect these species remains a challenge, posing a barrier to treatment plans. Aim The aim of this study is to detect the species in dental plaque samples from children aged six to nine years by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and correlate their prevalence in various dentitions. Material and Methods This is an observational analytical cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary care dental hospital. After sample isolation, microbiological processing was performed, genomic DNA was isolated, and PCR run was performed using specific primers to detect the species. SPSS for Windows Version 17 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) and Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA) were used to perform statistical analysis. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The technique could identify S. Mutans and S. Sobrinus in a short turnaround time. The frequency of S. mutans and S. sobrinus infections was higher in individuals with dental caries. Conclusions Molecular detection via PCR is a reliable, economical, and less time-consuming method for detecting S. mutans and S. sobrinus in dental plaque samples.