Comparison of Salivary Secretion, pH, and Buffer Capacity Between COVID-19 Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Child Patients Visiting Dental Clinics of University Hospitals in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Haia Mohammed Kamihan Alenazi, Mohammad Abdul Baseer, Osamah Mohammed AlMugeiren, Navin Anand Ingle Preventive Dentistry Department, College of Medicine and Dentistry, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Mohammad Abdul Baseer, Preventive Dentistry Department, College of Medicine and Dentistry, Riyadh Elm University, P.Box 84891, Riyadh, 11681, Saudi Arabia, Email [email protected]: This study aimed to assess and compare the salivary secretion, pH, and buffer capacity between COVID-19 vaccinated and unvaccinated child patients visiting the clinics of private university dental hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Methods: This is the first comparative assessment of salivary parameters between unvaccinated and COVID-19-vaccinated child patients. The study sample comprised COVID-19 unvaccinated (n = 66) and vaccinated (n = 66) pediatric dental patients aged 4– 12 years seeking dental care in clinics of private university hospitals. Paraffin-stimulated saliva was collected from unvaccinated and vaccinated study participants, and the amount of saliva secreted per minute was noted. Salivary pH and buffering capacity (by 5 mmol Hydrochloric acid titration) were measured using a benchtop digital pH meter. The data obtained were compared between unvaccinated and vaccinated participants using an independent t-test.Results: The results showed a significantly higher salivary secretion rate in unvaccinated than vaccinated study participants (0.83 ± 0.24 mL/min vs 0.67 ± 0.24 mL/min, p = 0.001). Similarly, unvaccinated subjects compared to vaccinated subjects exhibited a significantly higher pH (7.33 ± 0.39 vs 7.04 ± 0.46, p < 0.001) and buffering capacity (6.31 ± 1.55 vs 5.40 ± 1.22, p < 0.001). Moreover, unvaccinated females demonstrated a significantly higher salivary secretion (0.87 ± 0.23 vs 0.71 ± 0.25, t = 2.627, p = 0.011) and buffering capacity 6.19 ± 1.52 vs 5.34 ± 1.25, t = 2.404, p = 0.019) than vaccinated females. Similarly, unvaccinated male exhibited significantly higher salivary secretion (0.80 ± 0.25 vs 0.64 ± 0.23, t = 2.670, p = 0.009), salivary pH (7.39 ± 0.45 vs 6.94 ± 0.41, t=4.309, p< 0.001) and buffering capacity (6.42 ± 1.60 vs 5.45 ± 1.21, t = 2.875, p = 0.005) than the vaccinated male subjects.Conclusion: The vaccinated subjects showed a significantly lower mean salivary secretion, pH, and buffering capacity than unvaccinated participants. Hence, COVID-19 vaccination is likely to affect salivary parameters among pediatric patients.Keywords: COVID-19, vaccine, salivary secretion, pH, buffer, pediatric, patients

Keywords

• covid-19
• vaccine
• salivary secretion
• ph
• buffer
• pediatric
• patients