Proportion of Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Candida albicans in Early Childhood Caries: Evaluation by qPCR

Background Early childhood caries (ECC) is one of the most common diseases in children. It is associated with oral microbiome dysbiosis, characterized by a reduced beneficial oral microbiome and an increased pathogenic oral microbiome. Objective This study aims to detect and quantify S. mutans, S. sanguinis, and C. albicans in dental plaque samples from caries-free and ECC groups of children using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Materials and Methods Supragingival plaque samples were collected from 30 children aged 2 to 5 divided into three groups: 15 caries-free children, 7 ECC, and 8 S-ECC. The abundance of microorganisms was determined by qPCR. The obtained data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA (post hoc Bonferroni) and the Pearson and Spearman correlation tests. Results The S-ECC group had a higher proportion of S. mutans and C. albicans. The proportion of S. sanguinis was higher in the ECC and had a positive correlation (P < 0.05) with S. mutans in this same group. Conclusion The proportion of S. mutans, S. sanguinis, and C. albicans differed between the caries-free, ECC, and S-ECC groups, and they correlated with each other in the occurrence of ECC.