Effect of a School-Based Plaque Control Programme on the Microbiology of Dental Plaque

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Abstract
Approximal plaque was collected from 14-15 yr old females taking part in a 3 yr trial of a plaque control program in which subjects in the experimental group visited a hygienist fortnightly. Samples were collected (a) during and (b) 1 yr after completing the trial. Samples were stored in liquid N prior to cultural analysis. In study 1, samples (a) and (b) from 20 subjects in the experimental group were compared. In study 2, plaque collected during the trial was compared in 23 matched pairs of subjects from the experimental and control groups. Few of the differences observed in microbiologial composition were statistically significant in either study. In study 1 the proportion of streptococci in plaque was higher during the trial than 1 yr after completion (P < 0.05). No comparable difference was observed between groups in study 2, but the proportion of gram-negative anaerobic cocci was higher in the experimental group (P = 0.05) and the proportion of non-faculative anaerobes higher in the control group (P < 0.01). In addition, counts on TYC medium indicated a shift of streptococcal species in the experimental group where Streptococcus sanguis was icnreased (P < 0.05) at the expense of Streptococcus mitior (P < 0.01). Results indicate some microbiological shifts related to plaque control, but against a background of overall stability in the basic flora of interdental plaque.