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Patients with malocclusions often have a large number of retention sites for plaque. This study describes the levels of caries-inducing Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli in the saliva of 138 orthodontic patients prior to treatment. It was found that the number of micro-organisms did not differ from that given for a general population of corresponding ages. After insertion of fixed orthodontic appliances, the levels of both species were found to have increased, despite a pre-treatment oral hygiene education and training. Chlorhexidine treatments significantly reduced the number of S. mutans, both prior to and during the orthodontic treatment period. As a rapid recolonization took place in many subjects, the effect of the treatment needs to be monitored by repeated microbiological sampling procedures. No effect on numbers of lactobacilli could be demonstrated.
Lundström et al. (Fri,) studied this question.