Evaluation of the salivary pH and its correlation with dental caries in a population of Brazilian adolescents

Abstract

Dental caries is one of the most prevalent diseases around the world and saliva plays an essential role in controlling the evolution of the disease. This study aimed to investigate if salivary pH is correlated with dental caries in a population of Brazilian adolescents. Adolescents, of both sexes, were submitted to clinical examinations for diagnosis of dental caries according to Decay, Missing, and Filling Teeth index (DMFT). The adolescents were allocated into two groups: i. unaffected by caries (DMFT= 0) and ii. affected by caries (DMFT≥ 1). Saliva samples were collected, and the pH was measured using a pH meter. 672 adolescents were examined, mean age of 12 years old (± 0.45), 305 (45.4%) male and 367 (54.6%) female. The DMFT index in the overall population was 1.46; 49% of the population had DMFT=0. The main result point to a negative correlation but significant between dental caries and salivary pH for the total sample (r= -0.119; CI= -0.195 to -0.042; p=0.002) and for males (r= -0.143; CI= -0.254 to -0.028; p=0.012), and a borderline value for females (r= -0.099; CI= -0.202 to 0.006; 0.057). This study showed that there is a correlation between salivary pH and dental caries in examined adolescents.