Limited utility of salivary mineral content in prediction of fragility fractures among postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a metabolic disease characterized by increased bone fragility. As it is characterized as a general skeletal disease, changes can also be seen in the stomatognathic system (edentulism, wrong fitting of dentures, etc.). The question is whether early changes in the salivary mineral content and acid-base balance may reflect skeletal status and risk of bone fracture. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to evaluate whether minerals in the saliva were associated with skeletal fractures in a population of postmenopausal women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this observational study, dental examinations along with the collection of saliva were conducted in 117 randomly recruited women (mean age 64.6 ±5.9 years). The study group included 23 study participants with fractures, of which 10 had a history of osteoporotic fractures. Saliva samples for mineral content including copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P), as well as salivary pH were collected and analyzed to determine associations between salivary mineral content and fracture risk. RESULTS: As a result, the median pH value was 6.8, and the median levels for Cu (0.35 µmol/L), Zn (0.61 µmol/L), Ca (0.7 mmol/L), and P (6.64 mmol/L) were observed. No differences were noted in salivary mineral content and acid-basic balance between the fractured and non-fractured participants. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study suggest that salivary mineral content has limited usability in predicting skeletal fragility in postmenopausal women when used alone.

Salivary Content Might be Associated With Skeletal Status in Postmenopausal Women: SilesiaOsteoActive Study Results.

AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate whether salivary mineral content may be associated with bone status in women after menopause. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 125 postmenopausal women aged 64.3 ± 6.9 yr, derived from the epidemiological SilesiaOsteoActive Study. All participants underwent hip and spine bone densitometry using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, dental examination, and saliva content analysis. Data for salivary pH, copper, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc concentrations were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) was 0.739 ± 0.118 g/cm2, total hip BMD 0.891 ± 0.14 g/cm2, and spine BMD 0.868 ± 0.14 g/cm2. Salivary pH was significantly lower in women with spinal osteoporosis defined as T-score below -2.5, compared to individuals with normal BMD (pH: 6.65 ± 0.67 vs 6.96 ± 0.58, p < 0.05). There was a significant though weak inverse correlation between Ca concentration in saliva and femoral neck BMD (r = -0.23, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: High salivary calcium content and low salivary pH may be indicative of low hip and decreased spine BMD, respectively. These associations may reflect demineralization process (calcium redistribution) influencing bone, and a negative effect of acidity on mineral tissues, although causal pathway remains not clear.