Salivary Enzymatic Activity and Carious Experience in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Overview

Journal Children (Basel)

Specialty Health Services

Date 2022 Mar 25

PMID 35327715

Authors

Raluca-Paula Vacaru

Andreea Cristiana Didilescu

Ileana Constantinescu

Ion Maruntelu

Mihaela Tanase

Ioana Andreea Stanciu

Wendy Esmeralda Kaman

Hendrik Simon Brand

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Salivary biomolecules are considered important modulators of the oral microflora, with a potential subsequent impact on dental health. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between salivary enzymatic activity and carious experience in children. The carious experience of a sample of 22 school children was evaluated by calculating dmf/DMF indices, following WHO recommendations. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected, and salivary alpha-amylase levels, total protease activity, and matrix metalloproteinase levels (MMP-8 and MMP-9) were measured. The data were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric tests. Our findings revealed no significant relationship between the investigated salivary parameters and the carious experience in permanent teeth (DMFT/DMFS scores). Carious indices scores for primary teeth (dmft and dmfs) were positively associated with MMP-8 levels ( = 0.62, = 0.004 and r = 0.61, = 0.006, respectively) and MMP-9 levels ( = 0.45, = 0.05 and = 0.48, = 0.039, respectively) and negatively associated with alpha-amylase levels ( = -0.54, = 0.017 and = -0.59, = 0.006, respectively). Although with a marginal significance, PEK-054 levels positively correlated with dental caries, while for PFU-089, a negative correlation was observed. These results suggest that salivary alpha-amylase and MMP-8 and MMP-9 levels may be considered potential indicators of carious experience in children. Further studies with a prospective design are needed in order to elucidate the role of these biomolecules in caries development.

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