Salivary parameters among Arabian snuff (Shammah) users

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the salivary flow rate (SFR), pH, and buffer capacity (BC) among healthy shammah users (SU) in comparison with healthy non-shammah users (NSU). METHODS: This case-control study was conducted at the College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between March 2016 and May 2017. A sample of 27 SU and 30 NSU were recruited. Unstimulated saliva was collected and SFR, pH, and BC were determined. Dental health was assessed using the decay-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) index. RESULTS: Shammah users were slightly older than NSU (28.9±6.9 versus 24.9±4.3 years). Salivary flow rate was not significantly different, but pH (6.68±0.46) and BC (5.7±2.07) were significantly lower in SU users than in NSU (7±0.37; p=0.002 versus 8.1±1.47; p<0.001). Conversely, the DMFT in SU users was significantly higher (7.96±5.17) compared to that of NSU (4.53±3.46; p=0.007). Salivary pH and BC were significantly and directly correlated (rs= 0.576). The former was significantly and directly correlated with SFR (rs= 0.404), but the latter was not. In contrast, BC inversely correlated with decay (rs= -0.385) and DMFT (rs= -0.399). CONCLUSIONS: Shammah use is associated with alterations in saliva quality (pH and BC). It is also associated with poor dental health either through a direct effect or mediation by altered salivary parameters.