A Comparative Study of the Secretory IgA immunoglobulins (s.IgA) in Mothers and Children with SECC versus a Caries Free Group Children and their Mothers

Early childhood caries (ECC) is recognized as an infectious disease. The first step in its development is primary infection by the bacterium S. mutans which has been identified as the primary etiologic factors in dental caries. Lactobacilli were also found to play a role in the progression of disease. However, the underlying mechanism of immune response to caries is unclear. The association between secretory IgA (s.IgA) and cariogenic microorganisms is still controversial.

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of salivary IgA in caries free children, and children with SECC and their corresponding mothers. The study also aims at correlating the children's levels to their mothers'.

Sixty children and their mothers attending the dental clinic in King Abdulaziz University participated in our study. Their age ranged from 3 – 5 years. The study groups consisted of thirty children with SECC and a control group consisting of thirty caries free children.

Children together with their mothers were examined and their caries level was recorded. Stimulated saliva was collected from each participant for immunological assessment. The secretory IgA (s. IgA) level was assessed by ELISA test.

Our study has shown that children with SECC and their mothers had higher levels of s. IgA than the caries free children and their mothers. A positive high correlation was found between secretory IgA of mothers and children in both groups.

secretory IgA, SECC, s. mutans, saliva, cariogenic bacteria, primary molars, teeth

1. Smith DJ, Taubman M.A Crit. Rev. oral biol. Med. 3: 109–133, 1992.

2. Hajishengallis et al, Infect Immun 60: 5057–5064, 1992.

3. Huis in’t Veld J, van Palentein Helderman W, Backer-Dirks O. Strepto-coccus mutans and dental caries in humans: a bacteriological and immunological study. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 45: 25–33, 1997.

4. Challacombe SJ. Serum and salivary antibodies to streptococcus mutans in relation to the development and treatment of human dental caries. Arch Oral Biol 25: 495–502, 1980.

5. Everhart DL, Klapper B, Carter WH, Moss S. Evaluation of dental caries experience and salivary IgA in children age of 3-7. Caries Res 11: 211–215, 1977.

6. Brandtzaeg P. The oral secretory immune system with special emphasis on its relation to dental caries. Proc Finn Dent Soc 79: 71–84, 1983.

7. Bamman LL, Gibbons RJ. Immunoglobulin A antibodies reactive with streptococcus mutans in saliva of adults, children and predentate infants. J Clin Microbiol 10: 538–543, 1979.

8. Bolton RW, Hlava GL. Evaluation of salivary IgA antibodies to cario-genic microorganisms in children. Correlation with dental caries activ-ity. J Dent Res 61: 1225–8, 1982.

9. Chia J-S, Chang W-C, Yang C-S, Chen J-Y. Salivary and serum antibody response to streptococcus mutans antigen in humans. Oral Microbiol Immunol 15: 131–138, 2000.

10. Bratthall D, Serinirach R, Hamberg K, Widerstom L. Immunoglobulins A reaction to oral streptococci in saliva of subjects with different com-binations of caries and levels of mutans streptococci. Oral Microbiol Immunol 12: 212–21, 1997.

11. Vachirarojpisan T, Shinada K, Kawaguchi Y, Laungwechakan P, Somkote T, Detsomboonrat P. Early childhood caries in children aged 6-19 months. Community Dent oral Epidemiol 32: 133–42, 2004.

12. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Guideline. Policy on early childhood caries (ECC): unique challenges and treatment options. 2003.

13. WHO (1987). Oral Health Surveys. Basic Methods. 3rd Edn. Geneva: World Health Organization.

14. Lehtonen OP, Grahn EM, Stahlberg TH, Laitinen LA. Amount and avid-ity of salivary and serum antibodies against Streptococcus mutans in two groups of human subjects with different dental caries susceptibility. Infect Immun Jan 43(1): 308–13, 1984.

15. Grahn E, TenovuoJ, LehtonenOP et al. Antimicrobial system of human whole saliva in relation to dental caries, cariogenic bacteria and gingi-val inflammation in young adults. Acta Odontol Scand 46: 67–74, 1988.

16. De Farias DG, Bezerra AC (2003). Salivary antibodies, amylase and protein from children with early childhood caries. Clin Oral Invest 7: 154–157.

17. Huis in’t Veld J, van Palentein Helderman W, Backer-Dirks O.Strepto-coccus mutans and dental caries in humans: a bacteriological and immunological study. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 45: 25–33, 1997.

18. Twetman S, Lindner A, Modeer T. Lysozyme and salivary immunoglob-ulin A in caries-free and caries susceptible pre-school children. Swed Dent J 5: 9–14, 1981.

19. Rose P, Gregory K, Linda E. IgA antibodies to Streptococcus mutans in caries resistant and susceptible children. Pediat Dent 16: 272–275, 1994.