The identification of bacteria associated with periodontal disease and dental caries by enzymatic methods

This brief review describes the potential usefulness of enzymatic reagents for the diagnosis of dental caries and periodontal disease. The cultural tests for salivary S. mutans levels should soon become commercially available in the U.S. and their success may preclude the immediate development of enzymatic diagnostic reagents for this group of organisms. However, in regards to periodontal disease, these enzyme reagents offer great promise, particularly those which measure the trypsin‐like activity of plaque. The BANA hydrolytic activity of plaque, while not due exclusively to the spirochetes, nevertheless seems to reflect the spirochetal load of the plaque. Of even greater interest is the possibility that this and other enzymes can also be measured in the saliva. This would lend itself to routine screening for these enzymes in the saliva.