STATE OF ORAL HYGIENE, RATE OF SALIVATION AND VISCOSITY OF ORAL LIQUID IN 3-6 YEARS OLD AGED CHILDREN, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE DEGREE OF CARIES ACTIVITY

Abstract

Oral fluid performs a number of important functions: mineralizing, protective, cleansing, creating an optimal environment for the functioning of the hard tissues of the teeth. Research results show that the condition of the oral cavity, its biophysical and biochemical indicators provide information on the general resistance of the body. The possibility of complicating both dental diseases and somatic pathology at the expense of each other has been proven, that is, there is a mutual aggravation. The indicators were studied taking into account the age of the children and the degree of caries activity in them. 335 children aged 3-6 years were examined. Oral hygiene index according to Fedorov-Volodkina was determined in each age period and taking into account the degree of caries activity. Thus, children without caries and children with a compensated degree of caries activity in all age groups had a satisfactory state of oral hygiene. A comparison of 3-year-old children, but of different groups by the degree of caries activity, did not reveal a probable difference in the state of hygiene. And in 4, 5, and 6-year-olds with subcompensated and decompensated levels of caries activity, a probable difference in the state of oral hygiene was revealed. We observe a significant increase in the hygiene index in the entire group of children aged 3-6 years, respectively, with an increase in the Decay Extracted Filling index (р < 0,01; р < 0,001). The rate of salivation in the examined children of all groups corresponded to the norm or was at the level of slight hyposalivation. During the examination, a significant decrease in the numerical values of the salivary rate was found in children with subcompensated and decompensated caries activity compared to healthy children and with compensated caries activity. Studying the viscosity index of oral fluid, a probable increase in the index was established in children with subcompensated and decompensated levels of caries activity compared to healthy children in each age group. In children with a decompensated degree of caries activity, the highest index of oral fluid viscosity was found in each age group.
 The results of the examination showed a significant deterioration of oral hygiene in children with various degrees of caries activity compared to children without caries. The rate of saliva secretion is also likely to decrease, and the viscosity of the oral fluid increases as the caries situation in the oral cavity worsens in all age groups. Considering the multifactorial etiology of caries, it is necessary to continue the study of the relationship between the occurrence of caries in children, taking into account the influence of oral fluid and morphological features of the occlusal surface on the state of resistance of the hard tissues of the teeth.