A 43-year-old member asked:
how does one test for streptococcus mutans on teeth?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Simon Rosenberganswered
Dentistry 46 years experience
Dentist may have kit: There are several tests that swab the teeth and the solution made from the swab can be analyzed.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Simon Rosenberg commented
Dentistry 46 years experience
Provided original answer
I was referring to the Cari-free System where the teeth are swabbed, the swab is placed in a special solution, shaken, and placed in a calibrated electronic device that measures the activity level of the bacteria on the tooth. There are studies to validate that the number reported correlqtes with a predication of future caries incidence.
Aug 22, 2012
Dr. James Beckanswered
Dentistry 11 years experience
None: Every human on earth has strep mutans in their mouth. No test needed.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Last updated Sep 17, 2012
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