Severe Early Childhood Caries Linked to new Pathogen

ECC, or Early Childhood Caries is an infectious disease that is one of the most common childhood diseases in the US.

The severe type of this infection can easily cause very severe damage to the teeth, or cause the apparition of abscesses.

The condition is mostly prevalent in children who come from low income families.

The study, according to which severe early childhood caries is linked to a new pathogen, will be published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology later this month. One of the main pathogens causing Early Childhood Caries, is the Streptococcus mutans.

However, the pathogen can be detected even in people who do not carry diseases, and it is not always present in cases of childhood carries.

Therefore, researchers point out that another species of the bacteria called Scardovia Wiggsiae might also be pathogens that carry the disease.

Dr. Anne Tanner, who is a Senior Member of Staff of the Department of Molecular Genetics at Forsyth Institute, states that it is of major importance to identify the main causes of severe caries in children, and only after that it is possible to find an effective and reliable treatment.

The study in which the main pathogens of the Early Childhood Caries were tested, shows that the species mostly associated with severe dental decay in children were the Streptococcus mutans, Scardovia wiggsiae, Actinomyces gerensceriae and Streprococcus cristatus.

Among all these species, the S. wiggsiae seems to be a newly associated caries pathogen with early severe childhood dental decay.

The study has been carried out by the joined forces of the Goldman School of Dental Medicine, the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, the University of Boston, Dr. Floyd Dewhirst and resources from the HOMD (Human Oral Microbiome Database) at Forsyth Institute.