The natural history of S. mutans colonization from newborns through childhood has been previously studied by Kohler et. al, 2003; and Li and Caufield et. al., 2005, suggesting that children acquire S. mutans primarily from their mothers.
Meanwhile, Li et. al., reported that the mode of delivery significantly affected the time of acquisition of S. mutans in infants. (Li Y. et al., 2005).
One study demonstrated that vaginally delivered newborns, as they go through the birth canal, naturally acquire a variety …show more content…
It was speculated that the lack of early exposure to maternal microbiota and possible initial colonization with the ‘wrong’ microbes might significantly impact stimulation and maturation of the infant's immune system resulting in increased frequency of severe asthma in children children (Tollanes MC. et al., 2008).
Since earlier colonization of S. mutans was significantly associated with higher incidence and more severe dental caries in children as suggested by many authors, the mode of delivery may be an appropriate question to be included in past medical history for further determination of why some children are at greater risk for caries than others. (Köhler et al., 1988 and Li et al., 1994 and Lai et al., 1997).
In a four-year follow-up study, a positive association was observed between Caesarean delivery and initial acquisition and transmission of S. mutans in a mother-infant cohort. Analysis of the data showed that an infant born by C-section from a mother with a low socioeconomic status, and who experienced tooth decay, acquired S. mutans earlier than did a normal vaginally born infant. The researchers discovered that the mode of delivery significantly affected the time of acquisition of S. mutans in infants, and that C-section infants became colonized 11.7 months earlier than do vaginally delivered infants. (Li Y and Caufield,