Clinical evaluation of salivary indices and levels of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus in patients treated with Occlus-o-Guide

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ABSTRACT

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess the changes over time associated with salivary indices and the presence of
Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus in patients treated with Occlus-o-Guide.

Methods

Two groups of
patients were evaluated: a test group of 20 patients treated with Occlus-o-Guide and a control group of 20 patients not subjected to
orthodontic treatment. Both groups were homogeneous for age and sex. We examined the levels of S. Mutans and Lactobacillus, the
salivary flow, the buffer capacity of saliva and the Sillness and Loe plaque index (PI). The samples were taken at baseline (T0), after 3
months (T1) and after 6 months of treatment (T2). All data were compared using Student's t test.

Results

The percentage of
patients with a level of Streptococcus mutans able to cause caries was decreased in the test group (T0 = 10, T1 = , T2
= 0) compared to the control group (T0 = 0, T1 = 5, T2 = 35), whereas the amount of Lactobacilli was
different (test group T0 = 15, T1 = 0, T2 = 10; control group T0 = 0, T1 = 5, T2 = 35).
The total salivary flow was increased in the test group (T0 = 47, T1 = 61, T2 = 61) compared to the control group, in which it had
remained almost constant (T0 = 44, T1 = 45, T2 = 45). The buffer capacity of saliva was unchanged in both groups over time; the sum
of PI-plaque indices was reduced in the test group (T0 = 3, T1 = 0, T2 = 2) compared to the control group (T0 = 0, T1 = 14, T2 = 27).

Conclusion

Despite the presence of the Occlus-o-Guide device, patients are able to maintain a good level of oral hygiene, showing
improvements of the examinated parameters at follow-ups.

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