Changes in the biochemical composition of saliva in diabetic patients

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetic patients, beside numerous acute and chronic complications, often have oral manifestations of the disease. Aim: The aim of the study was to establish changes in saliva of diabetic patients in relation to healthy population in order to use saliva in the disease monitoring, as well as the changes depending on the type of diabetes. Materials and methods: The study comprised 52 adult patients of both sexes and at the age between 18 and 79 with Diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2 who were treated at the Institute for endocrinology, diabetes and metabolic disorders of the Clinical center of Serbia. The control group consisted of 67 volunteers from Belgrade, students at the School of Dentistry, aged between 19 and 24. The whole of unstimulated and stimulated saliva was collected and biochemical parameters (glucose, total proteins, albumin, sodium and potassium) were determined by methods commonly used for serum. Results: The results showed that salivary potassium level was increased in saliva of diabetic patients, that of sodium and total proteins was decreased, and glucose and albumin did not show changes compared to the control group. Concentrations of total proteins and potassium were higher in patients with DM type 2, and sodium was higher in DM type 1 (p = 0.05). Conclusion: Diabetic patients often have changes in biochemical composition of saliva.

Keywords

• diabetes
• saliva
• glucose
• proteins
• albumin
• sodium
• potassium