RESUMO
Introduction: Steroid sex hormones influence every system of the body including the oral cavity. It influences the composition and flow rate of saliva. The aim was to estimate the changes in human whole salivary pH and salivary leukocyte count during the various phases of menstrual cycle. Materials and method: 30 female patients between 18-35 years were included in the study. They were free from any systemic illness or medication. Unstimulated saliva was collected between 10AM and 11AM during the follicular (7th day), ovulatory (12th-14th days), and luteal (21st day) phases and evaluated for changes in salivary pH and leukocyte count. Result: The salivary pH showed significant difference in value between ovulatory and luteal phase while the salivary leukocyte count showed significant difference in values during all the three phases. Conclusion: Steroid sex hormones do influence the composition of saliva and thus influence the health of periodontal tissues indirectly.