Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry (Jun 2008)
A comparison of salivary calcium, phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase in children with severe, moderate caries, and caries free in Tehran′s kindergartens
Abstract
The most common dental disease in childhood is dental caries. This study was carried out to recognize the components of saliva which are protective factors in children to evaluate and predict caries susceptible and caries resistant individuals. Unstimulated whole saliva was obtained from 75 children aged 3-5 years. They divided into three groups: decayed missing and filled teeth (dmft) > 6 (severe caries), 1 < dmft < 6 (moderate caries), and dmft < 1 (caries free). Unstimulated whole saliva assayed by biochemical methods to determine salivary calcium, inorganic phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase. There was no significant changes in salivary calcium, alkaline to phosphate and alkaline phosphatase activity and their ratio with progress of caries ( P > 0.05 ). Although the results showed that salivary phosphate and alkaline phosphatase in caries free group and calcium in the group with severe caries were somewhat more than those in other groups. Despite of the results of the present study, the relationship between salivary components and caries rate in children remains controversial. So more studies are necessary to achieve some practical criteria for predicting dental caries, recognition of susceptible persons, and finally prevention of caries in children.
