Salivary Immunoglobulin A in Relation to the Viable Count of Mutans Streptococci in Children with Early Childhood Caries

Introduction Early childhood caries develops in children due to the unsuitable nocturnal feeding habit, with the presence of mutans streptococci as the caries initiating factor, competing with immunological constituent in saliva, the presence of salivary immunoglobulin A (SIgA) as an antimicrobial peptide could have a defensive role to decrease the amount of the viable count of mutans streptococci. Aims of study this research was done to find the relations between the variables viable count of mutans streptococci, SIgA level, dental caries index. Material and Methods categorizing the seventy-five children (4-5) years into 3 groups (twenty-five each) mild, moderate and severe. dmfs, dmft measured according to WHO (1987), salivary Immunoglobulin A level measured by ELISA kit, viable count of mutans streptococci measured after culturing it in (Mitis Salivaris Bacitracine) agar and simple identification method. Result the statistical analysis revealed that there was significant correlation in the viable count of MS, dmfs and dmft between (mild and moderate) and between (mild and severe). The Salivary Immunoglobulin A (mean value) showed an increase from the mild to severe as the (dmft, dmfs) increase, in which a significant correlation had been found between (mild and severe) in boys and in the total groups, a significant correlation between the viable count of MS and SIgA in the total groups. Conclusion as the carious (tooth, surface) number increased the viable count of mutans streptococci increased indicating its role in the ECC, SIgA increased as the MS count increased indicating the induction of the immune system to produce salivary immunoglobuline A. that it has no role on the mutans streptococci.