• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.549-557
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• 2000

Dental caries is a bacterial disease of the dental hard tisssus, characterized by a localized, progressive, molecular disintegration of tooth structure. The action of Leuconostoc lactis 51 about plaque formation and replication by Streptococcus mutans was studied as follows. 1. Lower amount of plaque was produced at the mixed culture of S. mutans and L. lactis 51 than S. mutans alone on the wires in the beaker. 2. Fewer cells of S. mutans were replicated at the mixed culture of S. mutans and L. lactis 51 than S. mutans alone. 3. In M17Y broth, viable cells of S. mutans and L. lactis 51 increased for 12 hours, and decreased for 24 hours. In M17YS broth, viable cells of S. mutans showed time-dependent decrease at mixed culture of S. mutans and L. lactis 51. 4. The culture supernatant of L. lactis 51 didn't inhibit the replication of S. mutans and the formation of artificial plaque. 5. Sucrose and frutose were extracted from the culture supernatant of L. lactis 51 in M17YS broth. These results suggest that L. lactis 51 isolated from the oral cavity inhibits the replication of S. mutans and the formation of artificial plaque.