Comparison of the use of the halimeter and the Oral Chroma[TM] in the assessment of the ability of common cultivable oral anaerobic bacteria to produce malodorous volatile sulfur compounds from cysteine and methionine

To compare the use of the Halimeter and the Oral Chroma[TM] to assess the ability of common oral anaerobic bacteria isolated from the Kuwaiti population to produce volatile sulfur compounds [VSCs]. Broth cultures of common anaerobes isolated from supragingival plaque were centrifuged and pellets resuspended in phosphate buffer [pH 7.7] with an optical density OD550 of 0.3. 100 micro l of this suspension and 870 micro l of buffer were added in 2 sterile 15-ml head space vials. Reaction was initiated by addition of 30 micro l of 33 mML-methionine and L-cysteine, respectively, in each vial and incubation at 37°C for 90 min. 500 micro l of 3 M phosphoric acid was added to tubes and was kept aside for 10 min. Production of VSCs was measured using the Halimeter and the Oral Chroma. The major VSC producers identified by both Halimeter and Oral Chroma with L-cystenine as substrate were Campylobacter ureolyticus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Prevotella intermedia, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Gemella morbillorum. The concentrations of hydrogen sulfide recorded by both Halimeter and Oral Chroma were essentially identical. With L-methionine as substrate, both Halimeter and Oral Chroma identified different complements of anaerobes with C. ureolyticus, P. gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and P. intermedia as major VSC producers. The concentrations of methyl mercaptan recorded by the Halimeter were lower compared to those assessed by the Oral Chroma. The results suggest that the Oral Chroma may produce a more comprehensive assessment of VSC production by oral microflora than the Halimeter

Prevalence of periodontal bacteria in saliva of Kuwaiti children at different age groups

Aggregatibacter [formerly Actinobacillus] actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythensis and Porphyromonas gingivalis and to a lesser extent Prevotella intermedia and Prevotella nigrescens, are Gram-negative species that are associated with destructive periodontitis. Studies from different parts of the world have shown variable detection rates of periodontal organisms. Hardly any data exist on their carriage in children living in the Middle East. This study was designed to determine the detection of these species in the oral cavity of 240 generally healthy Kuwaiti children, divided into five age groups:<6 years [n=40], 6-9 years [n=60], 10-12 years [n=40], 13-15 years [n=40] and 16-18 years [n=60]. Saliva was used as the microbiological specimen, and the samples were analyzed by molecular methods using multiplex PCR. A total of 185 [77.1%] of the 240 children were colonized by at least one of the target periodontal bacteria. In all age groups, P. nigrescens was the most prominent and detected in saliva of 15%, 32%, 63%, 50%, and 47% of the children at the five age groups, respectively. P. gingivalis was detected only occasionally. Only few pathogens were found before the permanent dentition, i.e. at the age of<6 years. The highest carriage rates were from the groups between 6 and 15 years of age. The salivary carriage of the pathogens was essentially similar in the age groups of 10-12 years and 13-15 years. In conclusion, except for P. gingivalis, the examined periodontal pathogens are relatively common findings in Kuwaiti children and colonize the oral cavity from childhood onwards

clinical and radiographic survey of selected dental anomalies and conditions in a Saudi Arabian population

The prevalence rates of 10 selected dental anomalies were determined clinically and radiographically among 1,010 dental patients of Saudi Arabian nationality residing in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia. Results showed that hypodontia was the most prevalent [9.41%] followed by taurodontism [8.61%]; microdontia [5.35%]; and diastema [4.46%]. Other anomalies were found at lower frequencies ranging from 0.20% for transposition to 1.19% for dilaceration. Comparing these results with other studies showed that these anomalies occur at different frequencies among various countries and communities in the world