Researchers at The Forsyth Institute have made a significant discovery about the nature of childhood dental disease. The scientific studies led by Anne Tanner have been able to identify a new pathogen connected to severe early childhood caries. This bacterium that has been called Scardovia wiggsiae is found in the mouths of children with severe early childhood caries when other known pathogens such as Streptococcus mutans were not detected. This is the right kind of research that will allow dental professionals to be able to use enough intervention methods to help save children’s teeth and stop the disease from getting progressive.
Early childhood caries is an extremely common and chronic disease. The most common chronic infectious disease of childhood in the United States continues to remain caries. Severe caries can go on to create untold harm to primary teeth. The people who are worst affected are those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
This research has gone on to show that dental caries are caused by an interaction between bacteria, host susceptibility and a carbohydrate diet that contains high amounts of sugar. This can be stopped by the right kind of intervention and growing awareness amongst people.
The bacterial species S. mutans is extensively known as the primary pathogen in early childhood caries. However, it is also present in people without disease and is not detected in all cases of childhood caries.
Severe early childhood caries is also associated with other bacteria. This can lead on to more difficulty later on in the child’s life. There are certain kinds of bacteria and mutants that are greatly associated with childhood and good hygiene will certainly keep them at bay. These microbes can go on to cause the most deadly of caries and plague that can lead to great problems later on in children.
The major species associated with severe ECC included S. mutans, S. wiggsiae, Veillonella parvula, Streptococcus cristatus and Actinomyces gerensceriae. S. wiggsiae was significantly associated in children with severe caries.