In Children
In general, S. mutans is acquired in the oral cavity at the moment of tooth eruption. But S. mutans has been detected in the oral cavity of predentate children. This suggests that the eruption of teeth is not a necessary prerequisite. Thus, this species may not be confined to dental plaque. The adhesion, invasion, and persistence within the oral cells are considered the virulence mechanism of S. mutans to colonize and survive in the oral cavity in the absence of a tooth surface.
Read more about this topic: Streptococcus Mutans
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—Louise Hart (20th century)