Evaluation Of oral microorganisms and their association with dental caries in children with autism spectrum disorder and healthy children | ||||
| Microbes and Infectious Diseases | ||||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 16 July 2025 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/mid.2025.402906.3013 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
Marwah Majid Khudhair1; Maha F. Almelan  2
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| 1MSc student, Department of Basic Science, College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad, Iraq | ||||
| 2Department of Basic Science, College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad, Iraq | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder affects communication, learning, and behavior. It is called a "developmental disorder" because it delays the first two years of life. Autistic children may need more caries treatment. This study provided baseline dental care planning and comparison data. Aim: We measure oral health, salivary pH, oral microorganisms, and decayed, missing, and filled permanent and primary teeth (DMFT). Mutans streptococcus (MS), Lactobacilli (LA), and Candida albicans saliva levels are compared for each group. Methods: We studied 80 (4–11) year olds, 40 with autism and 40 age and gender matched neurotypical controls. Using a standardized oral health assessment, participants' primary and permanent teeth' decayed missing and filled (dmft/DMFT) index determined dental caries prevalence. Qualitative and semi-quantitative salivary pH was measured by synthetic pH-responsive indicator paper strips. Connecting pH-caries, Viable bacteria were counted in clinical saliva without stimulation, assessed oral caries-causing microbial load, Control and ASD microbiomes and saliva differed. Results: Patient pH measurement and DMFT were significantly higher than controls, Study group (3.45 ± 1.89) and control (3.45 ± 1.23) for N = 40 and study group (2.51 ± 1.25) and healthy group (1.44 ± 0.56) for N = 34 had mean DMFT values. Healthy controls had 41.53 CFU/ml viable M. streptococci, while ASD patients had 159.05. Autism children had 137.10 lactobacilli CFU/ml, while healthy children had 18.53. Candida albicans had 149.93 CFU/ml viability, healthy controls 7.10. Conclusions: Bacterial count, pH, and dental caries prevalence correlated significantly. Patients' oral health will be quantified. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Dental Caries; Mutans streptococcus; Lactobacilli; Candida albicans; Oral Health | ||||
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