The frequency of five Streptococcus mutans serotypes (a, b, c, d and e) was investigated in relation to tooth surface and its caries status in young schoolchildren. In the first study, plaque from the five surfaces of a second deciduous molar in 104 five-year-olds was examined for the presence of S. mutans. In the second study, isolations were made from the occlusals and approximal surfaces of a second deciduous and a first permanent molar in five- to eight-year-olds. The isolates were characterized biochemically, and then serotyped with antigen extracts against whole cell and ‘purified’ cell wall antisera using comparative immunoelectrophoresis. Of the 348 plaque isolates, type c was the prevalent serotype (91.1%). In the first study, a significant relation was found between the occurrence of type c and caries on the occlusal surfaces. However, the second study showed type c to be evenly distributed on the occlusals and approximal surfaces irrespective of caries status. This leaves open the possibility that certain types may be commensals.
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Qureshi et al. (2009) studied this question.