Does nitrite reductase in Streptoccocus mutans play a critical role in the survival of this pathogen in oral cavity?
These observations suggest that the elimination of nitrite and/or the generation of NO are important for the survival of S. mutans in the oral cavity.
Surgery may play a role in responding patients. In patients with progressive disease, the role of surgery is more difficult to distinguish in this retrospective analysis since PFS is short. Which patients benefit and whether this improves long-term outcome should be established in a multicentric randomized trial.