Co‐Relationships between glandular salivary flow rates and dental caries

Abstract

Objective This study was designed to evaluate the relationship of age, gender, ethnicity and salivary flow rates on dental caries in an adult population using data collected from the Oral Health San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (OH:SALSA). Background Saliva is essential to maintain a healthy oral environment and diminished output can result in dental caries. Although gender and age play a role in the quantity of saliva, little is known about the interaction of age, gender and ethnicity on dental caries and salivary flow rates. Materials and Methods Data from the 1,147 participants in the OH: SALSA was analyzed. The dependent variables were the number of teeth with untreated coronal caries, number of teeth with root caries, and the number of coronal and root surfaces with untreated caries. The independent variables were stimulated and unstimulated glandular salivary flow rates along with the age, sex, and ethnicity (e.g. European or Mexican ancestry) of the participants. Results Coronal caries experience was greater in younger participants while root surface caries experience was greater in the older participants. Coronal caries was lower in the older age groups while the root caries experience increased. Men had a statistically significant (p<0.02) higher experience of root caries than women. Values for unstimulated and stimulated parotid salivary flow rates showed no age difference and remained constant with age, whereas the age differences in the unstimulated and stimulated submandibular/sublingual salivary flow rates were significant. The mean number of teeth with coronal and root caries was higher in Mexican-Americans than in European-Americans. Conclusions Over one-fourth of the adults between the ages of 60 and 79 have untreated root caries over one-third having untreated coronal caries. Lower salivary flow rates play a significant role in the both the number of teeth and the number of surfaces developing caries in these adults. Women and individuals of European-American ancestry experience less caries.

Salivary Biomarkers in Caries Affected and Caries Free Children

“…This result is in agreement with previous studies [37,38]. On contrast, other studies found that lower salivary flow rates play a significant role in caries development [39,40].…”

Gender-dependent associations between occupational status and untreated caries in Japanese adults

“…Individuals with high skill occupations are usually placed in psychologically stressful circumstances, which can cause a decrease in salivary flow 23 , 24 ) . Thus, reduced salivary flow in turn contribute to the development of dental caries 25 , 26 ) . According to the previous report, individuals with higher levels of academic stress had greater risks of developing dental caries 27 ) .…”

Current and Emerging Evidence for Toll-Like Receptor Activation in Sjögren’s Syndrome

“…The disease is characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine tissues along with salivary and lacrimal hypofunction [6, 7]. Loss of salivary flow results in patient discomfort, tooth decay, and difficulty in speaking and eating [8, 9]. Patients may also experience keratoconjunctivitis sicca or inflammation of the eyes as a result of dryness that often leads to ocular discomfort and impaired vision [10].…”