Streptococcus mutans-like bacteria from human dental plaque in a Sri Lanka (Ceylon) population

Abstract – This paper reports on the presence of low numbers of Streptococcus mutans among the oral streptococci present in human dental plaque in a Sri Lanka (Ceylon) population, where the caries activity is low and a low sucrose intake is combined with the presence of heavy plaque deposits. Plaque samples of unknown age were collected from 10 individuals in a tea estate, and another 10 samples were collected from dental students 19 days following interruption of oral hygiene. Of 670 such strains of oral streptococci studied, none showed typical "frosted glass" colony morphology on Mitis Salivarius agar. However, when subjected to physiological tests 14 of them were classified as S. mutans.