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Streptococcus mutans is a facultatively anaerobic, gram-positive coccus (round bacterium) commonly found in the human oral cavity and is a significant contributor to tooth decay. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] The microbe was first described by James Kilian Clarke in 1924.
Common and species-specific genes among Streptococcus sanguinis, S. mutans, and S. pneumoniae. Modified after Xu et al. (2007) [31] The genomes of hundreds of species have been sequenced. [32] Most Streptococcus genomes are 1.8 to 2.3 Mb in size and encode 1,700 to 2,300 proteins.
Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) has been identified as the major etiological agent of human dental caries. The development of a vaccine for tooth decay has been under investigation since the 1970s. In 1972, a caries vaccine was said to be in animal testing in England, and that it would have begun human testing soon. [2]
Mutansucrase is a crucial enzyme produced by Streptococcus mutans, involved in the synthesis of both soluble and insoluble glucans from sucrose.One notable aspect of its behavior is its tendency to aggregate alongside dextransucrase when precipitated by ammonium sulfate from the culture fluid of S. mutans.
As the leading causative agent in oral biofilms, Streptococcus mutans forms an integral part of tooth plaque formation and is the bacteria responsible for degradation of tooth enamel. Glucan sucrase is an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of mutans from sucrose, which aids in attachment to hard surfaces such as the facial side of the tooth.
[2] [4] The main bacteria responsible for dental cavities (dental caries) are Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) and Lactobacillus. [4] There is also evidence that supports that those who are in lower socioeconomic populations are at greater risk of developing ECC. [5] [6] Dental caries (tooth decay) as seen on a child
Glucansucrase allows the oral bacteria Streptococcus mutans to metabolize sucrose into lactic acid. This lactic acid lowers the pH around teeth and dissolves calcium phosphate in tooth enamel, leading to tooth decay. [14] Additionally, the synthesis of glucan aids S. mutans in adhering to the surface of teeth.
Streptococcus sanguinis White and Niven 1946 S. sanguinis is a normal inhabitant of the healthy human mouth where it is particularly found in dental plaque , where it modifies the environment to make it less hospitable for other strains of Streptococcus that cause cavities , such as Streptococcus mutans .