Evaluating the effect of dental caries treatment on salivary parameters including flow rate, viscosity, PH and buffering capacity

Abstract

The existence of carious tooth surfaces can alter the circumstances of the oral cavity and saliva by increasing bacterial adherence, favoring plaque retention, decreasing carbohydrate clearance, and increasing acid production as well as limiting the access of salivary remineralizing factors. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether salivary parameters including viscosity, flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity can be affected by the elimination of the existing active dental caries. Study design: 33 subjects between the ages of 6 and 12 years with more than 5 carious tooth surfaces were included in the study. An unstimulated saliva sample was obtained from each individual and the salivary characteristics including flow rate, viscosity, pH, and buffering capacity were evaluated. One month after performing a caries treatment procedure and eliminating all the existing dental caries, saliva sampling and analysis was performed again. The main statistical test addressing the research question was the paired sample t-test to compare data before and after intervention. The correlations between variables were assessed using the PearsonEs correlation coefficient test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The treatment of dental caries resulted in a statistically significant reduction in salivary viscosity (p=0.046), while pH and buffering capacity of saliva significantly increased (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in the unstimulated salivary production at the start of the study and 1 month after the caries elimination. Conclusions: The relationship between dental caries and salivary condition is reciprocal and dental caries can have a deteriorating effect on the salivary condition in the oral cavity. Therefore, the treatment of existing dental caries can have a caries preventing effect by improving the quality of saliva