Main Article Content
Abstract
health. The oral cavity contains over 500 bacterial species from multiple phyla, which can exist
as either commensals or pathogens. Streptococcus mutans is recognized as a significant pathogen
in the development of dental caries through biofilm formation. The objective of this review is to
provide a comprehensive understanding of the role that S. mutans in the development of dental
caries.
Article Details
Copyright (c) 2024 University of Thi-Qar Journal Of Medicine

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
- Guerra F., Mazur M., Ndokaj A., Corridore D., La Torre G., Polimeni A., et al. Periodontitis
- and the microbiome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Minerva stomatologica. 2018; 67
- (6): 250-8.
- Graves D.T., Correa J. D., Silva T. A. The Oral Microbiota Is Modified by Systemic Diseases.
- Journal of dental research. 2019; 98 (2): 148-56.
- Gomez, A., Nelson, K.E. The oral microbiome of children: Development, disease, and
- implications beyond oral health. Microb. Ecol. 2017;73 (2), 492–503.
- Le Bars, P.; Matamoros, S.; Montassier, E.; Le Vacon, F.; Potel, G. Soueidan, A.; Jordana,
- F. and de La Cochetière, M. The oral cavity microbiota: between health, oral disease, and
- cancers of the aerodigestive tract. Can. J. Microbiol. 2017; 63: 475–492.
- Duran-Pinedo A. E., Frias-Lopez J. Beyond microbial community composition: functional
- activities of the oral microbiome in health and disease. Microbes and infection. 2015; 17 (7):
- -16.
- Zhang Y., Wang X., Li H., Ni C., Du Z., Yan F. Human oral microbiota and its modulation
- for oral health. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2018; 99:
- -93.
- Moon J. H., Lee J. H. Probing the diversity of healthy oral microbiome with bioinformatics
- approaches. BMB reports. 2016; 49 (12): 662-70.
- Mukherjee, C., Moyer, C.O., Steinkamp, H.M., Hashmi, S.B., Beall, C.J., Guo, X., Ni, A.,
- Leys, E.J., Griffen, A.L. Acquisition of oral microbiota is driven by environment, not host
- genetics. Microbiome. 2021.
- Reynolds-Campbell, G.; Nicholson, A. and Camille-Ann. Oral Bacterial Infections Diagnosis
- and Management. Dent Clin N Am 2017;61 (2017) 305–318.
- Wade, W.G. Detection and culture of novel oral bacteria. Oral microbial ecology–current
- research and new perspectives. Caister Academic Press, Norfolk. 2013.
- Bowen, W.H. and Koo, H. Biology of Streptococcus mutans-derived Glucosyl-transferases:
- role in extracellular matrix formation of cariogenic biofilms. Caries Research. 2011;45(1): 69-86.
- Kurtović, A.; Talapko, J.; Bekić, S. and Škrlec, I. The Relationship between Sleep,
- Chronotype, and Dental Caries—A Narrative ReviewClocks Sleep. 2023; 5(2): 295–312.
- Atkinson, F.S.; Khan, J.H.; Brand-Miller, J.C.; Eberhard, J. The Impact of Carbohydrate
- Quality on Dental Plaque pH: Does the Glycemic Index of Starchy Foods Matter for Dental
- Health? Nutrients 2021, 13, 2711.
- Pitts NB, Zero DT, Marsh PD, Ekstrand K, Weintraub JA, Ramos-Gomez F, Tagami J,
- Twetman S, Tsakos G, Ismail A. Dental caries. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017 May 25;3:17030.
- A. Tanner, C.A. Kressirer, S. Rothmiller, I. Johansson, N.I. Chalm.The caries microbiome:
- implications for reversing dysbiosisers. Adv. Dent. Res., 2018; 29 (1) 78-85.
- Filoche S, Wong L, Sissons C. Critical reviews in oral biology and medicine: oral biofilms:
- emerging concepts in microbial ecology. J Dent Res. 2010;89:8–18.
- Rosier B. T., Marsh P. D., Mira A. Resilience of the Oral Microbiota in Health:
- Mechanisms.That Prevent Dysbiosis. Journal of dental research. 2018; 97 (4): 371-80.
- Kumar P. S., Mason M. R. Mouthguards: does the indigenous microbiome play a role in
- maintaining oral health? Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. 2015; 5: 35.
- Huang R., Li M., Gregory R. L. Bacterial interactions in dental biofilm. Virulence. 2011; 2
- (5): 435-44.
- Marsh P.D. In Sickness and in Health-What Does the Oral Microbiome Mean to Us? An
- Ecological Perspective. Advances in dental research. 2018; 29 (1): 60-5.
- Takahashi N. Oral Microbiome Metabolism: From "Who Are They?" to "What Are They
- Doing?". Journal of dental research. 2015; 94 (12): 1628-37.
- Palmer R. J., Jr. Composition and development of oral bacterial communities.
- Periodontology 2000. 2014; 64 (1): 20-39.
- Patini R., Staderini E., Lajolo C., Lopetuso L., Mohammed H., Rimondini L., et al.
- Relationship between oral microbiota and periodontal disease: a systematic review. European
- review for medical and pharmacological sciences. 2018; 22 (18): 5775-88.
- Samaranayake L., Matsubara V. H. Normal Oral Flora and the Oral Ecosystem. Dental
- clinics of North America. 2017; 61 (2): 199-215.
- Kilian M., Chapple I. L., Hannig M., Marsh P. D., Meuric V., Pedersen A. M., et al. The oral
- microbiome - an update for oral healthcare professionals. British dental journal. 2016; 221 (10):
- -66.
- Abranches , J; Zeng, L; Kajfasz, JK; Palmer, SR; Chakraborty, B; Wen, ZT; Richards, VP;
- Brady, LJ and Lemos, JA. Biology of Oral Streptococci Microbiol, 2018; 6(5):
- Krzysciak, W.; Pluskwa, K.K.; Jurczak, A.; Koscielniak, D. The pathogenicity of the
- streptococcus genus. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis., 2013;32, 1361–1376.
- Richards, V.P.; Palmer, S.R.; Pavinski Bitar, P.D.; Qin, X.; Weinstock, G.M.; Highlander,
- S.K.; Town, C.D.; Burne, R.A.; Stanhope, M.J. Phylogenomics and the dynamic genome
- evolution of the genus streptococcus. Genome Biol. Evol. 2014, 6, 741–753.
- Zhu, B., Macleod, L. C., Kitten, T., and Xu, P. Streptococcus sanguinis biofilm formation &
- interaction with oral pathogens. Future Microbiol. 2018;13, 915–932.
- Lannes-Costa, P.S.; de Oliveira, J.S.S.; da Silva Santos, G.; Nagao, P.E. A current review of
- pathogenicity determinants of Streptococcus sp..Applied microbiology J. 2021; 131(4): 1600-
- Brady, L.J.; Maddocks, S.E.; Larson, M.R.; Forsgren, N.; Persson, K.; Deivanayagam, C.C.;
- Jenkinson, H.F. The changing faces of streptococcus antigen i/ii polypeptide family adhesins.
- Mol. Microbiol. 2010, 77, 276–286.
- Russell, R. Pathogenesis of oral streptococci. Gram-Positive and Pat- hogens Fischetti VA,
- Novick RP, Ferretti JJ, Portnoy DA Rool JI, eds. American Society for Microbiology ،
- Washington, DC; 2000; pp. 272–279
- Krzyściak,W.; Pluskwa,K.K.; Piątkowski,J.; Krzyściak,P.; Jurczak,A.; Kościelniak,D. and
- Skalniak,A The usefulness of biotyping in the determination of selected pathogenicity
- determinants in Streptococcus mutans. BMC Microbiology, 2014;14:194.
- Chun,S.;Huh, H.J. and Lee, N.Y. Species-Specific Difference in Antimicrobial
- Susceptibility Among Viridans Group Streptococci. Ann of Lab Med., 2015;35 (2) : 205-11.
- Huang,S.C.;Burne,R.A. and Chen,Y.MThe pH-Dependent Expression of the Urease Operon
- in Streptococcus salivarius Is Mediated by CodY. Appl and Environmental Mic,
- ;80(17):5386-5393..
- Ouennane, S. ; Leprohon, P. and Moineau, S. Diverse Virulent Pneumophages Infect
- Streptococcus mitis. PLOS ONE, 2015;10(2): 0118807.
- Alissa L. Villhauer, David J. Lynch 1, David R. Drake.Improved method for rapid and
- accurate isolation and identification of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus from
- human plaque samples; Journal of Microbiological Methods Volume 139, August 2017, Pages
- -209.
- Saravia , M E.; Nelson-Filho ;P.; Ito I Y.; da Silva L A B; da Silva R A B and
- Emilson, C. Morphological differentiation between S. mutans and S. sobrinus on modified SB20 culture medium Microbiol. Res. (2011)
- Yousefi, B.; Ghaderi, S.; Rezapoor-Lactooyi, A.; Amiri, N.; Verdi, J.; Shoae-Hassani, A.
- Hydroxy decenoic acid down regulates gtfB and gtfC expression and prevents Streptococcus
- mutans adherence to the cell surfaces. Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials 2012,
- , 21.
- Yousefi, L.; Leylabadlo, H.E.; Pourlak, T.; Eslami, H.; Taghizadeh, S.; Ganbarov, K.;
- Yousefi, M.; Tanomand, A.; Yousefi, B.; Kafil, H.S. Oral spirochetes: Pathogenic mechanisms
- in periodontal disease. Microbial Pathogenesis 2020, 144, 104193.
- van de Lagemaat, M.; Stockbroekx, V.; Geertsema-Doornbusch, G.I.; Dijk, M.; Carniello,
- V.; Woudstra, W.; van der Mei, H.C.; Busscher, H.J.; Ren, Y. A Comparison of the Adaptive
- Response of Staphylococcus aureus vs. Streptococcus mutans and the Development of
- Chlorhexidine Resistance. Front Microbiol.2022, 13, 861890.
- Tahmourespour, A.; Aminzadeh, A.; Salehifard, I. Anti-adherence and antibacterial activities
- of Pistacia atlantica resin extract against strongly adherent Streptococcus mutans strains. Dent
- Res J. 2022, 19, 36,
- Ferrando, M.; Coghe, F.; Scano, A.; Carta, M.G.; Orru, G. Co-infection of Streptococcus
- pneumoniae in Respiratory infections Caused by SARS-CoV-2. Biointerface Research in
- Applied Chemistry 2021, 11, 12170-12177.
- Rezaei, T.; Mehramouz , B. ; Gholizadeh, P.; Yousefi, L.; Ganbarov K .; Ghotaslou, R.;
- Taghizadeh, S. and Kafil, H. S. Factors Associated with Streptococcus mutans Pathogenicity in
- the Oral Cavity . Biointerfaceresearch, 2023; 13( 4):368.
- Ayi, B. Viridans-Induced Infections. The book "Streptococci: The Comprehensive
- Pharmacology Reference" was published in 2007.
- Matsumoto-Nakano, M.(2018). Role of Streptococcus mutans surface proteins for biofilm
- formation. Japanese Dental Science Review 2018, 54(1):22-29,
- Hudson, M. C. and Curtiss, R. Regulation of Expression of Streptococcus mutans genes
- important to virulence, infection and immunity(1990), 58(2):p. 464-470.
- Chismirina, S.; Sungkar, S.; Andayani, R.; Rezeki, S. Darmawi. Existence of Streptococcus
- Mutans and Streptococcus Sobrinus in Oral Cavity as Main Cariogenc Bacteria of Dental Caries.
- Advances in Health Sciences Research, (2021)volume 32
References
Guerra F., Mazur M., Ndokaj A., Corridore D., La Torre G., Polimeni A., et al. Periodontitis
and the microbiome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Minerva stomatologica. 2018; 67
(6): 250-8.
Graves D.T., Correa J. D., Silva T. A. The Oral Microbiota Is Modified by Systemic Diseases.
Journal of dental research. 2019; 98 (2): 148-56.
Gomez, A., Nelson, K.E. The oral microbiome of children: Development, disease, and
implications beyond oral health. Microb. Ecol. 2017;73 (2), 492–503.
Le Bars, P.; Matamoros, S.; Montassier, E.; Le Vacon, F.; Potel, G. Soueidan, A.; Jordana,
F. and de La Cochetière, M. The oral cavity microbiota: between health, oral disease, and
cancers of the aerodigestive tract. Can. J. Microbiol. 2017; 63: 475–492.
Duran-Pinedo A. E., Frias-Lopez J. Beyond microbial community composition: functional
activities of the oral microbiome in health and disease. Microbes and infection. 2015; 17 (7):
-16.
Zhang Y., Wang X., Li H., Ni C., Du Z., Yan F. Human oral microbiota and its modulation
for oral health. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2018; 99:
-93.
Moon J. H., Lee J. H. Probing the diversity of healthy oral microbiome with bioinformatics
approaches. BMB reports. 2016; 49 (12): 662-70.
Mukherjee, C., Moyer, C.O., Steinkamp, H.M., Hashmi, S.B., Beall, C.J., Guo, X., Ni, A.,
Leys, E.J., Griffen, A.L. Acquisition of oral microbiota is driven by environment, not host
genetics. Microbiome. 2021.
Reynolds-Campbell, G.; Nicholson, A. and Camille-Ann. Oral Bacterial Infections Diagnosis
and Management. Dent Clin N Am 2017;61 (2017) 305–318.
Wade, W.G. Detection and culture of novel oral bacteria. Oral microbial ecology–current
research and new perspectives. Caister Academic Press, Norfolk. 2013.
Bowen, W.H. and Koo, H. Biology of Streptococcus mutans-derived Glucosyl-transferases:
role in extracellular matrix formation of cariogenic biofilms. Caries Research. 2011;45(1): 69-86.
Kurtović, A.; Talapko, J.; Bekić, S. and Škrlec, I. The Relationship between Sleep,
Chronotype, and Dental Caries—A Narrative ReviewClocks Sleep. 2023; 5(2): 295–312.
Atkinson, F.S.; Khan, J.H.; Brand-Miller, J.C.; Eberhard, J. The Impact of Carbohydrate
Quality on Dental Plaque pH: Does the Glycemic Index of Starchy Foods Matter for Dental
Health? Nutrients 2021, 13, 2711.
Pitts NB, Zero DT, Marsh PD, Ekstrand K, Weintraub JA, Ramos-Gomez F, Tagami J,
Twetman S, Tsakos G, Ismail A. Dental caries. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017 May 25;3:17030.
A. Tanner, C.A. Kressirer, S. Rothmiller, I. Johansson, N.I. Chalm.The caries microbiome:
implications for reversing dysbiosisers. Adv. Dent. Res., 2018; 29 (1) 78-85.
Filoche S, Wong L, Sissons C. Critical reviews in oral biology and medicine: oral biofilms:
emerging concepts in microbial ecology. J Dent Res. 2010;89:8–18.
Rosier B. T., Marsh P. D., Mira A. Resilience of the Oral Microbiota in Health:
Mechanisms.That Prevent Dysbiosis. Journal of dental research. 2018; 97 (4): 371-80.
Kumar P. S., Mason M. R. Mouthguards: does the indigenous microbiome play a role in
maintaining oral health? Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. 2015; 5: 35.
Huang R., Li M., Gregory R. L. Bacterial interactions in dental biofilm. Virulence. 2011; 2
(5): 435-44.
Marsh P.D. In Sickness and in Health-What Does the Oral Microbiome Mean to Us? An
Ecological Perspective. Advances in dental research. 2018; 29 (1): 60-5.
Takahashi N. Oral Microbiome Metabolism: From "Who Are They?" to "What Are They
Doing?". Journal of dental research. 2015; 94 (12): 1628-37.
Palmer R. J., Jr. Composition and development of oral bacterial communities.
Periodontology 2000. 2014; 64 (1): 20-39.
Patini R., Staderini E., Lajolo C., Lopetuso L., Mohammed H., Rimondini L., et al.
Relationship between oral microbiota and periodontal disease: a systematic review. European
review for medical and pharmacological sciences. 2018; 22 (18): 5775-88.
Samaranayake L., Matsubara V. H. Normal Oral Flora and the Oral Ecosystem. Dental
clinics of North America. 2017; 61 (2): 199-215.
Kilian M., Chapple I. L., Hannig M., Marsh P. D., Meuric V., Pedersen A. M., et al. The oral
microbiome - an update for oral healthcare professionals. British dental journal. 2016; 221 (10):
-66.
Abranches , J; Zeng, L; Kajfasz, JK; Palmer, SR; Chakraborty, B; Wen, ZT; Richards, VP;
Brady, LJ and Lemos, JA. Biology of Oral Streptococci Microbiol, 2018; 6(5):
Krzysciak, W.; Pluskwa, K.K.; Jurczak, A.; Koscielniak, D. The pathogenicity of the
streptococcus genus. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis., 2013;32, 1361–1376.
Richards, V.P.; Palmer, S.R.; Pavinski Bitar, P.D.; Qin, X.; Weinstock, G.M.; Highlander,
S.K.; Town, C.D.; Burne, R.A.; Stanhope, M.J. Phylogenomics and the dynamic genome
evolution of the genus streptococcus. Genome Biol. Evol. 2014, 6, 741–753.
Zhu, B., Macleod, L. C., Kitten, T., and Xu, P. Streptococcus sanguinis biofilm formation &
interaction with oral pathogens. Future Microbiol. 2018;13, 915–932.
Lannes-Costa, P.S.; de Oliveira, J.S.S.; da Silva Santos, G.; Nagao, P.E. A current review of
pathogenicity determinants of Streptococcus sp..Applied microbiology J. 2021; 131(4): 1600-
Brady, L.J.; Maddocks, S.E.; Larson, M.R.; Forsgren, N.; Persson, K.; Deivanayagam, C.C.;
Jenkinson, H.F. The changing faces of streptococcus antigen i/ii polypeptide family adhesins.
Mol. Microbiol. 2010, 77, 276–286.
Russell, R. Pathogenesis of oral streptococci. Gram-Positive and Pat- hogens Fischetti VA,
Novick RP, Ferretti JJ, Portnoy DA Rool JI, eds. American Society for Microbiology ،
Washington, DC; 2000; pp. 272–279
Krzyściak,W.; Pluskwa,K.K.; Piątkowski,J.; Krzyściak,P.; Jurczak,A.; Kościelniak,D. and
Skalniak,A The usefulness of biotyping in the determination of selected pathogenicity
determinants in Streptococcus mutans. BMC Microbiology, 2014;14:194.
Chun,S.;Huh, H.J. and Lee, N.Y. Species-Specific Difference in Antimicrobial
Susceptibility Among Viridans Group Streptococci. Ann of Lab Med., 2015;35 (2) : 205-11.
Huang,S.C.;Burne,R.A. and Chen,Y.MThe pH-Dependent Expression of the Urease Operon
in Streptococcus salivarius Is Mediated by CodY. Appl and Environmental Mic,
;80(17):5386-5393..
Ouennane, S. ; Leprohon, P. and Moineau, S. Diverse Virulent Pneumophages Infect
Streptococcus mitis. PLOS ONE, 2015;10(2): 0118807.
Alissa L. Villhauer, David J. Lynch 1, David R. Drake.Improved method for rapid and
accurate isolation and identification of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus from
human plaque samples; Journal of Microbiological Methods Volume 139, August 2017, Pages
-209.
Saravia , M E.; Nelson-Filho ;P.; Ito I Y.; da Silva L A B; da Silva R A B and
Emilson, C. Morphological differentiation between S. mutans and S. sobrinus on modified SB20 culture medium Microbiol. Res. (2011)
Yousefi, B.; Ghaderi, S.; Rezapoor-Lactooyi, A.; Amiri, N.; Verdi, J.; Shoae-Hassani, A.
Hydroxy decenoic acid down regulates gtfB and gtfC expression and prevents Streptococcus
mutans adherence to the cell surfaces. Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials 2012,
, 21.
Yousefi, L.; Leylabadlo, H.E.; Pourlak, T.; Eslami, H.; Taghizadeh, S.; Ganbarov, K.;
Yousefi, M.; Tanomand, A.; Yousefi, B.; Kafil, H.S. Oral spirochetes: Pathogenic mechanisms
in periodontal disease. Microbial Pathogenesis 2020, 144, 104193.
van de Lagemaat, M.; Stockbroekx, V.; Geertsema-Doornbusch, G.I.; Dijk, M.; Carniello,
V.; Woudstra, W.; van der Mei, H.C.; Busscher, H.J.; Ren, Y. A Comparison of the Adaptive
Response of Staphylococcus aureus vs. Streptococcus mutans and the Development of
Chlorhexidine Resistance. Front Microbiol.2022, 13, 861890.
Tahmourespour, A.; Aminzadeh, A.; Salehifard, I. Anti-adherence and antibacterial activities
of Pistacia atlantica resin extract against strongly adherent Streptococcus mutans strains. Dent
Res J. 2022, 19, 36,
Ferrando, M.; Coghe, F.; Scano, A.; Carta, M.G.; Orru, G. Co-infection of Streptococcus
pneumoniae in Respiratory infections Caused by SARS-CoV-2. Biointerface Research in
Applied Chemistry 2021, 11, 12170-12177.
Rezaei, T.; Mehramouz , B. ; Gholizadeh, P.; Yousefi, L.; Ganbarov K .; Ghotaslou, R.;
Taghizadeh, S. and Kafil, H. S. Factors Associated with Streptococcus mutans Pathogenicity in
the Oral Cavity . Biointerfaceresearch, 2023; 13( 4):368.
Ayi, B. Viridans-Induced Infections. The book "Streptococci: The Comprehensive
Pharmacology Reference" was published in 2007.
Matsumoto-Nakano, M.(2018). Role of Streptococcus mutans surface proteins for biofilm
formation. Japanese Dental Science Review 2018, 54(1):22-29,
Hudson, M. C. and Curtiss, R. Regulation of Expression of Streptococcus mutans genes
important to virulence, infection and immunity(1990), 58(2):p. 464-470.
Chismirina, S.; Sungkar, S.; Andayani, R.; Rezeki, S. Darmawi. Existence of Streptococcus
Mutans and Streptococcus Sobrinus in Oral Cavity as Main Cariogenc Bacteria of Dental Caries.
Advances in Health Sciences Research, (2021)volume 32
