Abstract
BackgroundStudies on salivary variables and pregnancy in Latin America are scarce. This study aimed to compare salivary flow rate, pH, and concentrations of calcium, phosphate, and sIgA of unstimulated whole saliva in pregnant and non-pregnant Brazilians.MethodsCross-sectional study. Sample was composed by 22 pregnant and 22 non-pregnant women attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics, São Lucas Hospital, in Porto Alegre city, South region of Brazil. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected to determine salivary flow rate, pH, and biochemical composition. Data were analyzed by Student t test and ANCOVA (two-tailed α = 0.05).ResultsNo difference was found for salivary flow rates and concentrations of total calcium and phosphate between pregnant and non-pregnant women (p > 0.05). Pregnant women had lower pH (6.7) than non-pregnant women (7.5) (p < 0.001), but higher sIgA level (118.9 mg/L) than the latter (90.1 mg/L) (p = 0.026).ConclusionSome of the tested variables of unstimulated whole saliva were different between pregnant and non-pregnant Brazilians in this sample. Overall, the values of the tested salivary parameters were within the range of international references of normality.
Highlights
Studies on salivary variables and pregnancy in Latin America are scarce
Non-pregnant women used mainly oral contraceptives; analgesics were recorded. In this sample salivary pH and concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) were different between pregnant and non-pregnant Brazilians, but no significant difference was found for salivary flow rates of unstimulated whole saliva or concentrations of calcium and phosphate
We followed standard procedures for collection of saliva samples [11], we found a broad range of salivary flow rates for unstimulated whole saliva, which could potentially affect our results
Summary
Studies on salivary variables and pregnancy in Latin America are scarce. This study aimed to compare salivary flow rate, pH, and concentrations of calcium, phosphate, and sIgA of unstimulated whole saliva in pregnant and non-pregnant Brazilians. Besides the direct effect on the metabolism of periodontal tissues, pregnancy, menstruation, and hormone replacement therapy may induce short-term changes in salivary flow rates, buffering capacity, and biochemical composition [1,2,3,4,5]. Changes in salivary composition and flow rates may compromise the integrity of the soft and hard tissues in the oral cavity, because saliva functions include food and bacteria clearance, mastication and digestion, lubrication, antimicrobial defense, and buffering effect [6,7]. A preliminary search of the electronic database Latin American and Caribbean Literature on the Health Sciences (LILACS) using the terms "saliva" and "pregnancy" resulted in eleven articles published in the last 20 years, and only one evaluated salivary flow rates and/or pH in pregnant women [9]. It is difficult to compare results from populations with potential differences of genetics and dietary habits
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