Background: High fluorine concentrations in drinking water are associated with a decrease in the amount of salivary S mutants. Taking into account that clinical dental fluorosis can appear with 1.5 ppm of fluorine in the drinking water, fluorine concentration in Mamiña is 2.4 ppm. Aim: To quantify salivary S mutans in school age children from Mamiña, a zone with a high fluorine content in the drinking water, during one year. Material and methods: During 1997 and 1998, dental health was assessed and salivary samples were obtained from 51 children (27 male) aged 10 ± 2 years to quantify S mutans. Results: Most children studied had more than 105 salivary S mutans colony forming units. No changes in the rates of infection or dental health characteristics were observed during the observation year. Conclusions: High fluorine content in the drinking water did not have an effect on salivary S mutans infection in this population.