CariScreen caries susceptibility test.

"From my personal experience, I have found that the CariScreen Caries Susceptibility Test by Oral BioTech is successful in assessing caries risk and managing caries," said Michelle Gross Panico, RDH, AP, MA.

This is a one-minute chairside bacterial test that uses a testing meter and a swab preconditioned with a reagent that reacts in the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the patient's biofilm. ATP occurs in acid-producing bacteria at a rate 100 times greater than in non-acid-producing bacteria.

"First, the susceptibility testing meter is turned on and self-calibrates for 60 seconds," Panico explained. "Second, a sample of the patient's biofilm is taken by swabbing the lingual surface of the mandibular anterior teeth. Third, the reagent is released to moisten the swab and mix with the biofilm on the swab. This is accomplished by cracking/snapping a bulb that is located on the top end of the swab stick. The swab is then shaken for 10-15 seconds to allow the reagent to further mix with the biofilm on the swab. Fourth, the swab is loaded into the meter and a button is pressed to activate the meter. Fifth, a reading will appear on the meter screen in 15 seconds that corresponds to the patient's caries risk level. The higher the reading number, the higher the caries risk level (0-1500 = low risk, 1501-9999= at risk)."

"I also advocate the use of the Carl-Screen meter and have correlated it to CRT bacteria culture tests with about 75 percent accuracy," said Loma Linda University's Novy. "The nice thing about it is that it offers insight into what non-Mutans streptococci cariogenic bacteria are present."

"This instrument can be also be used while managing the infection to measure success in reducing the patients caries risk level," added West Coast University's Gerger.

A video tutorial can be viewed at www.carifree.com/ dentists/downloads, html.