CARIES ACTIVITY TEST

1. INTRODUCTION :- DENTAL CARIES

- CARIES ACTIVITY
- CARIES SUSCEPTIBILITY
- CARIES ACTIVITY TEST
2. OBJECTIVES:3. IDEAL REQUIREMENTS:4. METHOD`S OF DETECTION:- SNYDER TEST
- MICROBIOLOGICAL TEST
- SWAB TEST
- SALIVARY BUFFERING CAPACITY TEST
- SALIVARY REDUCTASE TEST
- ALBAN TEST
5. CONCLUSION:PRESENTED BY : Dr Saransh Malot
Asst Prof.
DarshanDental College and Hospital
Udaupur Rajasthan

INRODUCTION
1. DENTAL

CARIES: - Is defined as an infectious,

microbiological disease of teeth that results in localized
dessolution & destruction of calcified tissue. ( STURDEVANT)

2. CARIES ACTIVITY: - Is measure of the speed of progression

of a carious lesion.
3. CARIES SUSCEPTIBILITY: - Refers to inherent tendency of

host & target tissue, to be afflicted by carious process.

4. CARIES ACTIVITY TEST: - Measure the degree to which

the local environment challenge favours the probability of

carious lesion.
OBJECTIVES
1. Motivate & to monitor the effectiveness of education.
2. Identify high risk group.
3. Manage the progress of restorative procedure.
4.

To determine the need & extent of personalized preventive

measure.

IDEAL REQUIREMENT
1. Simplicity

2. Rapid result

3. Applicable

4. Reliability

5. Non - invasive

6. Easy to evaluate

7. Validity

8. Inexpensive

METHOD`S OF DETECTION
1. SNYDER TEST
Principle: - measure the ability of salivary microorganism to form
oragonic acid from carbohydrate medium.
Procedure:Glucose agar medium with Bromocresol
green indicator + 0.2cc saliva.
Incubate at 37C
Results:- Green

yellow

Advantage:1. Easy to perform

2. Dilution not required
Disadvantage:1. Time consuming

2. MICROBIOLOGICAL TEST

24hr. marked caries susc.

48hr. definite caries susc.
72 hr. limitedcaries susc.

Procedure:2 sample of paraffin stimulated saliva (1ml. each)

Diluted 10 times
Cultivation in media

Rogosa`s Agar medium

(Lactobacillus)

Mitis Salivarius agar

(Strep Mutans)

Incubate at 37 degree
Count the no. of bacteria
Multiply by 10 (Dilution factor)
Results:S. Mutans

Lactobacillus

>10 lakh

>1lakh

High

<1 lakh

< 1 lakh

Less

Advantages:1. Easy to perform.

2. Useful as screening test.
Disadvantages:1. Inaccurate
2. Counting is a tedious procedure.
3. SWAB TEST

caries susceptibility

Principle: - Same as snyder test.

Procedure: - Oral flora is collected by swabbing the buccal surface
of teeth with cotton applicator. Incubate at 37C. See change in PH .
Results:PH 4.1
4.2
4.5

< 4.1
4.4
> 4.6

Marked
Definite
Limited

Advantages:1. Saliva collection is not necessary.

Disadvantages:1. Inaccurate.
4. SALIVARY BUFFER CAPACITY TEST
Principle: - Measure the buffering capacity of saliva.
Procedure:1 ml. saliva + HCL acid
PH changes will rise which is depend on buffering capacity of
saliva
Results:PH Rise unto 5 to 7
PH Rise up to 4

normal buffering capacity

low B.C high caries

Advantages:1. Simple to carry ou

5. SALIVARY REDUCTASE TEST

Principle: - Measure the ability of the reductive enzyme positive in

salivary bacteria.
Procedure:1ml. saliva + Diazoresorcinol indicator (blue)
Blue color change in other color because liberation of reductase
enzyme by the salivary bacteria.
Results:1. No change in color in 15 min.

No conductive ness

2. Blue to orchid in 15 min.

Slight c.

3. Blue to red in 15 min.

Moderate

4. Blue to red immediately

Highly

5. Blue to colorless

Extremely

Advantages:1. No inoculation requires

2. Quick results
Disadvantages:1. Results vary with time often food intake.

6. ALBAN TEST: - It is simplified substitute for snyder test.

Procedure:-

1. 60 gm. Snyder test agar + 1 ltr. Water and suspension is

brought to a boil over low flame.
2. When thoroughly melted, the agar is distributed 5 ml./ tube
refrigerator.
3. 2 tube of alban medium are taken from refrigerator and
patient is asked to expectorate a small amount of saliva
directly into tube. The tube are labeled and incubated at 98.6
degree F (37degree) for up to 4 days.

The tube observer daily for:1. Color change from bluish green to definite yellow.
2. The depth in the medium to which the change has occurred.
Scale of scoring:1. No color change

zero scale

2. Color change to yellow

in the top of tube

1+

3. Color change to yellow

in the mark of tube

2+

4. Color change to yellow

in the mark of tube
5. Total color change to yellow
Advantages:1. Simple

3+
4+

2. Low cost
3. Ideal foe education
4. Good for indicating caries in activity
Disadvantages:1.

More armamentaria required

2.

Based on subjective evaluation of a color change that is often

not clear cut.

CONCLUSION
1. Although caries activity test is necessary for motivate & to
monitor the effectiveness of edvcation process.
2. None of the test is highly reliable as indicator of expected
caries increment.

PRESENTED BY : Dr Saransh Malot

Asst Prof.
DarshanDental College and Hospital
Udaupur Rajasthan