Abstract:
Background: Caries is an infectious disease affecting a tooth’s hard tissues, which is
consisted of email, dentin, and cementum. It is a multifactorial disease, initiated by the
interaction of host, microorganisms/agents, substrates, and time. One of the most pathogenic
agents is Lactobacillus sp. This agent is mostly found in active lesions of caries, can produce
lactate acid and is an acidic-environment tolerant organism. Lead exposure is also a factor
that can worsen caries. Lead is a calcium-antagonist and can hamper the metabolism of
calcium in remineralization of tooth. Lead can precipitate into drinking water after being
crystallized in the air, assisted by rain. This exposure is especially worrying to the community
which still depends on unfiltered water from the river to fulfill their daily needs. Purpose:
This study was proposed to identify Lactobacillus sp. colony in caries-affected children and
assess the difference between river water consuming and well-water consuming children.
Methods: This was an observational analytics with control group design study using cross
sectional approach, performed in SMP Negeri 1 Sungai Pinang Kabupaten Banjar,
November-December 2017. The population was 60 students, categorized into two groups (30
students each): river water consuming and well-water consuming groups. The samples’
DMF-T indexes and teeth swab samples were recorded for analysis. The swab samples were
then delivered to laboratories to be treated by staining and using Huccer methods to assess
the Lactobacillus sp. colony. Results: The results showed that there was a significant
difference between colony count of Lactobacillus sp. and DMT-index in both river water
consuming and well-water consuming children.
