Detection cnm⁺Streptococcus Mutans in Endodontics Infections

Objectives: Endodontic infections are one of the most frequently treated conditions in dentistry emergency procedures. Microorganisms might reach the connective apical tissues, leading to an intense or chronic inflammatory response. If untreated, these infections might progress resulting in life-threatening conditions and systemic complications. Knowing that Cnm⁺Streptococcus mutans avidly binds to collagen and is associated with systemic infections, it is important to determine its frequency in asymptomatic/symptomatic primary endodontic infections and dental abscess exudates. Thus, the aims of this study are: 1) To detect S. mutansin samples within three specific sites, namely, root canals (RC) of symptomatic necrotic teeth (ST), acute apical abscesses (AAA) associated with RC, and RC of asymptomatic necrotic teeth (AT); 2) To detect cnm⁺S. mutans in these 3 endodontic sites.
Methods: Patients presenting pulpal necrosis associated with radiographic evidence of apical periodontitis (n=10) and patients in need of endodontic therapy due to the presence of pulpal necrosis and associated acute apical abscess (n=10) were selected. Samples for microbiological analysis were collected from RC-AT, AAA, RC-ST. DNA was extracted from the samples from all sites. For the detection of S. mutans in the samples, qPCR was performedusing the species-specific primers. Samples that show the presence of S. mutans were further evaluated for the presence of the cnm gene by qPCR.
Results: The three sites studied had a high prevalence of S. mutans, RC-AT (60%) and paired samples AAA / RC-ST (70%). Regarding the cnm gene, 40% of the RC-AT were cnm⁺.
Conclusions: This study showed a high prevalence of S. mutans in symptomatic/symptomatic endodontic infections, including AAA, and the presence of cnm⁺ S. mutans strains in RC-AT.