Caries experience, periodontal treatment needs, salivary pH, and Streptococcus mutans counts in a preadolescent Down syndrome population

The prevalence of dental caries and periodontal treatment needs in an institutionalized population with Down syndrome was examined and the relationship between caries prevalence, salivary pH, and salivary levels of Streptococcus mutans was studied. Thirty‐two children with Down syndrome, aged 8 to 13, were compared with two control groups of similar age ranges: healthy children and non‐Down mentally retarded (MR) children living in the same institution as the Down syndrome population. The gender ratio mixtures in each group also matched the study sample. Caries experience as indicated by decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (DMF‐S) showed significantly lower mean scores for the Down syndrome group compared with both control groups. A similar pattern was found when evaluating the mean numbers of decayed surfaces. Streptococcus mutans counts, expressed as number of colony‐forming units on mitis salivarius agar plates among the Down syndrome group, were the lowest, although not statistically significant compared with the counts of the healthy children. Both groups had bacterial counts which were significantly lower than those of the MR group. Significant differences between the two institutionalized groups and the healthy group were recorded for the salivary pH levels. The periodontal treatment needs as evaluated by the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs showed significant difference between the MR group versus both the healthy population and the Down syndrome group. On the whole, 84% of the Down syndrome children were cariesfree.