Effect of Dental Sealants on Oral Microbial Burden of Scardovia wiggsiae within a Pediatric Population: A Pilot Study

Aim: Dental caries is among the most prevalence and pervasive of childhood infections, with prevention factors such as fluoride and dental sealants regarded as the most effective prevention and treatment modalities. Many studies of dental sealants have focused on traditional caries-causing microbial agents, such as Streptococcus mutans – although the lack of clinical information regarding the novel cariogenic pathogen Scardovia wiggsiae s makes the primary aim of this study an evaluation of the prevalence of this organism and the effect of dental sealants on this pathogen.

Study Design: This was a prospective, non-randomized experimental study design.

Place and Duration of Study: University of Nevada, Las Vegas – School of Dental Medicine pediatric clinic between July 2016 and March 2018.

Methodology: Using an approved protocol, saliva was collected from pediatric patients at a Nevada dental school, which was subsequently screened for the presence of Scardovia. If treatment included dental sealants, saliva was collected at follow up appointments and screened using Polymerase Chain Reaction or PCR to determine any effects on the oral microbial burden of this organism.

Results: Pre-treatment samples (n=39) were matched with post-treatment samples (n=26) for DNA isolation and screening using PCR primers specific for Scardovia. Placement of dental sealants was sufficient to reduce the levels of detectable Scardovia among those patients initially testing positive (23%). However, most samples were initially Scardovia-negative (77%) and this study revealed a subset of these Scardovia-negative patients were subsequently found to harbor Scardovia from their corresponding post-sealant samples (28%).

Conclusion: This may be among the first studies to evaluate the effects of dental sealants on S. wiggsiae, demonstrating dental sealants may be sufficient to reduce Scardovia levels in some patients, but also allowing some patients with very low (even undetectable) levels of Scardovia to exhibit rapid and detectable changes in these levels.