VariOr® Caries
detection of caries in children
Tooth decay is an infectious disease caused by cariogenic bacteria. Caries is affected by the entire microbial community of the oral cavity, but some bacteria have a major impact. These are mainly two bacteria of the genus Strepotococcus: S. sobrinus and S. mutans, which adhere easily to the tooth surface and thrive in dental plaque. These two bacteria are among the so-called primary causes of tooth decay; they metabolize saccharides in dental plaque to acids that disrupt (demineralize) tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay. The VariOr® Caries test is used to determine the risk of tooth decay in children. The test works on the principle of DNA detection of the above-mentioned bacteria.
Advantages of the VariOr® Caries test over culture tests:
- speed and high specificity of assay determinations
- The patient can easily take the sample himself - there is no need to visit the surgery
- no additional material is needed, you will receive a sampling set from us free of charge
- distinction between S. sobrinus and S. mutans (each of the bacteria has a different meaning for the risk of caries)
- If the test is used by a doctor, no additional equipment that costs money and takes up space in the office is needed
- after sending the sample, there is no need to take care of the sample further - you will receive a laboratory report within 5 working days
Tooth decay in children
Dental diseases in young children have a number of specifics - young children often do not cooperate in performing regular oral hygiene, as well as in examinations and necessary interventions at the dentist, but at the same time their teeth are sensitive to tooth decay. Prevention is therefore very important for young children. It consists mainly in observing the principles of oral hygiene, but also in preventing the transmission of caries-forming bacteria from the parents to the toddler at the time when the child's first teeth are cut. It has been shown that S. sobrinus and S. mutans infections in preschool children correlate with the number of existing caries, but especially with the future development of new caries. However, if the infection with these bacteria does not occur until approximately 7 years of age, when the oral microflora forms, the child is more resistant to infection by these microorganisms at a later age and has fewer problems with teeth for life (lower tooth decay). It has been shown that the highest risk of dental caries is in children infected with both pathogens at the same time, lower in children infected with S. sobrinus only, even lower in children infected with S. mutans and the lowest risk in children in whom neither pathogen was detected.
How does the transmission take place?
As striking as it is, the most common carrier of cariogenic bacteria is the mother or another member of the family. The infection occurs at the time of cutting the first teeth (baby teeth), when the mother licks the pacifier in an attempt to clean it, or tastes the food served to the child with the same spoon, which the child then being fed. Therefore, we recommend performing the test on both the child and the mother at the same time to determine the degree of risk of infection of the child. In addition, the number of bacteria in the oral cavity can be reduced by appropriate preventive interventions and thus reduce the possibility of mother-to-child transmission. You can take the sample yourself or at your dentist.
Who is the test for?
- the test is intended for use especially in children (in adults, the relationship of bacteria and other factors to the development of dental caries is more complicated and the effect of the above-mentioned bacteria is less direct)
- for general dentists, pediatricians and dental hygienists, to assess the current health status of teeth in children
- The test is also recommended as part of the initial examination
- to test the mother during pregnancy or after childbirth, to determine the likelihood of transmitting carotid bacteria to the baby
How to take a sample?
Samples are taken with a sterile cotton swab, preferably in the morning before brushing teeth. A special sampling kit can be ordered from the contacts listed below. A swab is applied to the surface of the entire tooth with a stick, similar to brushing teeth. (Use a second stick to smear the surface of the child's cut teeth.) Wet sticks must be left for at least 30 minutes to dry. For successful analysis, the rods must be perfectly dry! The stick, each separately, is placed back in the case marked with the name and surname of the person taken (or in a clean plastic bag, which is sealed and marked with the name and surname of the person taken). The samples are sent to the laboratory together with the application form. This is a paid service. The examination of one sample costs CZK 480 including VAT. We recommend making a payment by bank transfer. The service can also be paid for by cash on delivery, but in this case, we charge an additional fee of CZK 100. If the customer is a dental office, it is possible to make a payment on the invoice.
What are the results for?
The test result determines the tendency to form tooth decay. In the case of testing mothers and children, it determines the level of risk of transmission of bacteria to the child, or confirms or refutes the presence of bacteria in the child's oral cavity. Based on the results, the dentist decides on a suitable hygiene plan and further treatment (re-mineralization, antimicrobials, frequency of check-ups, etc.).
Where to send samples?
GEN-TREND s.r.o.
Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Hůry 149 | Rudolfov | 373 71
Web: www.gentrend.cz
Phone: +420 608 636 119, +420 602 156 577
E-mail: info@gentrend.cz
Bank account number / code: 184419542/0300
Sampling sets order (free of charge):
Prostředictvím našeho online objednávkového systému
Telefon: +420 608 636 119, +420 602 156 477
E-mail: laborator@gentrend.cz
Literature:
Lapirattanakul J., Nakano K., Nomura R., Hamada S., Nakagawa I., Ooshima T.(2008): Demonstration of mother-to-child transmission of Streptococcus mutans using multilocus sequence typing. Caries Res. 42(6):466-74.
Okada M., Soda Y., Hayashi F., Doi T, Suzuki J., Miura K., Kozai K. (2005) Longitudinal study of dental caries incidence associated with Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus in pre-school children. Med. Microbiol.: 54, 661–665.
Thorild I., Lindau B., Twetman S. (2006): Caries in 4-year-old children after maternal chewing of gums containing combinations of xylitol, sorbitol, chlorhexidine and fluoride. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 7(4): 241-5.
Our other products in the field of dental disease prevention:
VariOr® Gen - determination of genetic predispositions to periodontitis
© Copyright 2025 GEN-TREND, s.r.o.