Identification and the biological characterization of adherent bacteria isolated from the oral cavities of Chinese and Japanese

Abstract

We studied the identification and the biological characterization of adherent bacteria isolated from the oral cavities of adults and elementary school children in order to analyze differences in these bacteria in Chinese and Japanese. Bacterial strains used were isolated from the bacteria adhered on surfaces of tooth hung in saliva, dental plaque and tongue dorsum suspensions. The 364 Chinese strains included 132 from saliva, 119 from dental plaque, and 113 from the tongue. The 349 Japanese strains included 100, 144, and 105 strains, respectively. The ratio of Gram positive cocci occupying each sample in the Chinese was between 86% and 100%,and of these, 62% were streptococci. In Japanese, 87-89% were Gram positive cocci, of which 72% were streptococci. No differences were observed in the streptococcal species between Chinese and Japanese. In vitro plaque formation was observed in 62% of the Chinese streptococcal strains and 68% of the Japanese ones. Although results suggest that there is a slight differ ence in the distribution of the streptococci adhered without sucrose in the normal oral microbial flora between Chinese and Japanese, their in vitro plaque formation is the same. Shika Igaku (J Osaka Odontol Soc) 2002 Dec; 65(3/4 combined): 235-240.