Salivary antioxidents in relation to caries severity among a group of young adults

Abstract

Background: Saliva represents the body's stages of toxicological, hormonal, immunological, and markers of many infectious disease and disorders, so that it's an ideal tool for monitoring oral and systemic health.
 Antioxidants help the body's defensive system by reducing oxidative stress.
 
 Aims of the study: The study was directed to estimate the carious lesion experience (DMFS) in relation to salivary superoxide dismutase and total protein among adults by age and gender.
 
 Materials and methods: Caries experiences was assessed according to DMFS index, after investigation eighty peoples of an age 19-22 years for both genders. Stimulated salivary samples were together and chemically assessed to detect selected salivary antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, total protein), under standardized condition. Total protein and superoxide dismutase were measured by spectrophotometric examination.
 
 Results: With not-significant differences, total protein was found to be higher in the caries active group than in the caries free group, but salivary superoxide dismutase was the opposite. with statistically not-significant differences, females had a greater average of the salivary total protein than men, whereas men had a greater average of salivary superoxide dismutase than females. the first group (19-20 years) had a not-significant greater average salivary total protein and salivary superoxide dismutase than the second group (21-22 years).
 Conclusion: Salivary superoxide dismutase is the important factor in dental caries prevention. As a result, alterations in salivary content are crucial in the development and progression of dental caries.