Association of dental and gingival health status with level of salivary characteristics and Streptococcus mutans in children

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Caries and periodontal diseases are the most common oral diseases that lead to teeth loss. The aim of this study is to assess the association of combination of salivary characteristics, Streptococcus mutans levels and clinical parameters to the dental and gingival health statuses of children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Saliva samples were collected from 89 children. Children were allocated to the low caries group (45 children: mean DMFT/dmft ≤ 2) or high caries group (44 children: mean DMFT/dmft ≥ 5) according to WHO method and criteria. Additionally, gingival health status was assessed as fair (gingival index and plaque index < 2) or bad (gingival index and plaque index ≥ 2). Each participant's resting saliva hydration (RSH), viscosity (RSV), pH (RSpH), stimulated saliva flow rate (SSFR), buffering capacity of saliva (BCSS) and level of S. mutans (SSM) were determined by chair side test kits. RESULTS: The result showed statistically significant differences in all salivary characteristics and SSM levels for both types of dentition between the low and active caries groups as well as between fair and bad gingival health status (except for RSH for permanent teeth and RSH plus SSFR for primary teeth). Logistic regression showed that combination of plaque index (PI), RSH, RSV, RSpH and SSM provided accurate association (permanent teeth: 92.1%, primary teeth: 100%) of caries status and PI plus BCSS provided accurate association (permanent teeth: 92.1%, primary teeth: 93%) of gingival health status. CONCLUSION: This study has suggested that combination of salivary characteristics, PI and SSM levels could provide significant association of caries and gingival health statuses of children.