In order to study the synthesis of para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) by S. mutans and the role of PABA in the interaction between S. mutans and S. sanguis, a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for analysis of PABA was developed. The results showed that the optimal chromatographic parameters were flow rate of 1.5 ml/min, T = 55 +/- 2 degrees C, methanol/phosphate buffer of 10/90(by vol) (pH 2.2 0.1 mol/L), m-hydroxybenzoic acid as an internal standard. The method is simple, rapid accurate and useful.