Caries in the infundibulum of the second upper premolar tooth in the horse.

The research discloses an increasing prevalence of a dental disease, infundibular caries, in the first permanent premolar teeth of horses. A bacterial species, Streptococcus devriesei, was found to be related and may contribute to the development of this disease.

Sampling and Analysis Method

• Research was conducted on 117 horses and ponies over a period of 14 years. Of these, 77 were identified as having caries in the premolar teeth and 40 showed no signs of the disease.
• The team collected samples from the infundibulum of maxillary P2 (the first permanent premolar teeth), focusing on the occlusal surface where the infundibulum is located.
• The samples were transported in a medium known as VMGA III and later inoculated onto MSB agar, a type of growth medium used in bacteriology.
• A bacteriological analysis was conducted on each sample. They approximated the number of bacteria and characterized the isolates biochemically using a commercially available kit.

Results and Findings

• All samples collected after 2002 from carious lesions tested positive for a Streptococcus mutans-like strain, Streptococcus devriesei.
• This bacterial strain was also found in four of the control animals, but in far less numbers than in samples from the caries-infected horses.
• Interestingly, none of the samples taken prior to 2002 tested positive for this specific bacteria.

Summary and Conclusions

• The findings provided solid support to the hypothesis that Streptococcus devriesei could colonize the upper premolar teeth of horses, leading to detrimental damage to dental tissue.
• The research concluded a strong association between Streptococcus devriesei and the premolar caries in horses, providing a direction for further studies on the underlying causes of the disease as well as potential prevention methods.