ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study is performed to evaluate the salivary secretion, salivary pH and cariogenic activity in head and neck cancer patients. METHODS: Thirty patients (26 male, 4 female) who had head and neck cancer and were treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and 28 normal volunteers (9 male, 19 female) as a control were included. The mean age of the patients group and control group were 55.9 years and 51.6 years, respectively. The patients group was examined of salivary secretion, salivary pH, and cariogenic activity, and was compared with the control group. RESULTS: In comparison with the control group, salivary secretion, salivary pH and cariogenic activity were lower, significantly, in head and neck cancer patients (P<0.01). There are negative correlations between cariogenic activity and salivary secretion (r=-0.364, P<0.01), cariogenic activity and salivary pH (r=-0.534, P<0.01) in head and neck cancer patients, and cariogenic activity and salivary pH (r=-0.413, P<0.05) in the control group. There are positive correlations between salivary pH and salivary secretion (r=0.409, P<0.01) in head and neck cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that salivary secretion and salivary pH are reduced; cariogenic activity is increased in head and neck cancer patients. Such salivary factor and cariogenic activity can increase the possibility of induction of dental caries.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Dental Caries , Head , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , SalivaABSTRACT
Objective: To explore levels of salivary IgA, lysozyme, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and total proteins in unstimulated (UWS) and stimulated (SWS) whole saliva of caries-free children. Methods: 94 caries-free children, aged from 42 to 54 months, were recruited from urban kindergartens in Beijing. 2 ml UWS and 2 ml SWS were collected from each child to measure salivary IgA, lysozyme, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and total proteins. Results:1) There were no differences in salivary proteins between boys and girls in both UWS and SWS, except total proteins. In UWS, the concentration of total proteins in girls was lower than that in boys (P0.05). 2) The concentration of IgA in SWS was significantly lower than that in UWS (P0.05). Conclusion:In 3-to 4-year old children, the protein composition in stimulated whole saliva is different from that in unstimulated whole saliva, and it is also different between genders. Therefore, it is more reliable to measure salivary proteins in both UWS and SWS when studying saliva of children.