Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that different forms of human periodontal disease are associated with specific microorganisms in subgingival plaques. It is well known that adult periodontal disease is associated with the presence of Porhyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) and Prevotella intermedia (P. intennedia) and that early onset periodontitis is also caused by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans). A relationship between periodontopathic bacteria and subgingival plaques has been established for adult periodontal diseases.
However, the role of supragingival plaques is unclear in oral-microbial ecology and in the initation of gingivitis and/or periodontal disease in children.
In the present study, P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans in supragingival plaques in children aged 2.7-16 years were detected using immunoslot blot assay with specific monoclonal antibodies for each bacteria.
Plaques with P. gingivalis-positive reactivity increased with increasing age, whereas the those with A. actinomycetemcomitans-positive reactivity were enhanced in the subject age of 8-12 years and thereafter declined. The data indicated that the supragingival plaques in children are capable of harboring periodontopathic bacteria such as P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans.
