Tooth decay is the gradual breakdown of tooth components, resulting from the loss of hydroxyapatite crystals as part of aging. Mutans Streptococci is one of the species most associated with tooth decay. The samples were isolated and cultured following standard procedures, and the results showed that Streptococcus mutans was indeed the most isolated bacteria, accounting for 47 (85.5%) cases in people with tooth decay. Small soft blue colonies of S. mutans bacteria appeared due to their absence in several individuals which may be attributed to their small numbers. Lactobacilli were also isolated in 8 (14.55%) cases. Antibiotic sensitivity tests against S. mutans showed that this bacterium was sensitive to azithromycin antibiotic and resistant multi-antibiotic tetracycline, as well as amoxicillin, tobramycin, and ciprofloxacin along with chloramphenicol, ampicillin and lincomycin. The objective of this study is to isolate and identify bacteria that cause tooth decay, and determine which antibiotics effectively inhibit them.
