Children greater susceptibility

Counts of the number of S. mutans or L. casei are a poor measure of caries susceptibility because as noted above, they cannot account for ammonia production or differences in glycan production by other bacteria in the biofilms. Acid production after a 10% sucrose or glucose rinse after a 6 h or longer fast is a better measure of caries susceptibility, because it represents the balanced outcome of the factors that promote or prevent caries. Because this method requires time and skill, it is difficult to apply to many subjects. A simpler method of measuring caries susceptibility is past caries experience and age. The more teeth affected by caries in a child or adolescent, the greater is the likelihood that a new cavity will develop and, therefore, the greater is the need for preventive measures. Unfortunately, this measure is completely uninformative about what factors are present to promote or prevent caries. 

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