Estimation of total antioxidant capacity levels in saliva of caries-free and caries-active children

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate total antioxidant levels in caries-free and caries-active children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study included one hundred and twenty healthy children who were divided into two groups; Group I and Group II, comprising of age groups 7 to 10 years and 11 to 14 years. respectively. Both the groups were then sub-divided equally according to gender. They were further divided into caries-free and caries-active children with 15 children in each group. Unstimulated saliva was collected by suction method. The samples were then analyzed for total antioxidant capacity. The data was then statistically analyzed using Student's t-test (unpaired). RESULTS: The results revealed that the total antioxidant capacity of saliva increased significantly in caries-active children when compared to caries-free children. CONCLUSION: Within the limitation of this study, we can conclude that the physicochemical properties of saliva in particular total antioxidant capacity play a role in the development of caries.