effect of salivary H-substance on the clinical condition of the gingiva

ABSTRACT

The present study has been done to detect H-substance in the saliva and to evaluate the clinical condition of the gingiva in both secretors and non-secretors of salivary H-substance. The study included 432 subjects selected randomly from the outpatient clinic of the Dentistry Department of the Navy Hospital. They were of both sexes and their ages ranged from 25-38 years. They were all free from any systemic disease. Saliva samples were taken from all subjects for detection of the absence or presence of H-substance in the saliva in the Clinical Pathology and Haematology Lab. in the Navy Hospital according to Bourman and Dodd [1966][16]. Further, 50 subjects from the total number of secretors were considered as controls [group I] and 50 other subjects from non-secretors [group II]. Both groups [I and II] were subjected to 1] Blood grouping according to Dacie and Lewis [1968]. 2] Clinical dental examination including - recording plaque index [Silness and Loe, 1964][8]. - recording of gingival index [Loe and Silness, 1963][9]. - recording of retention index [Bjorby and Loe, 1967][10]. The results of this study showed that only 51 subjects were non-secretors of H-substance among a total of 432. The findings of blood grouping revealed no significant difference between blood groups in both secretors and non secretors. The clinical dental results showed a significant increase in the gingival, plaque and retention indices in non-secretors when compared to secretors [controls]. In conclusion, the presence of H-substance in the saliva [secretors] could be one of the protective elements present in saliva