Statherin saliva levels in patients with dental caries

Abstract

Aim. To examine the influence of statherin on the rate of dental diseases and to determine the concentration of salivary staterin in patients with dental caries. Methods. The study recruited 134 persons, including 54 patients with dental caries and its complications (experimental group) and 80 healthy volunteers (control group). Pateints’ mean age ranged from 18 to 42 years. A comprehensive dental examination of all subjects was carried out, hygiene indexes were defined, complete dental history was gathered. Whole unstimulated saliva was examined. Statherin saliva level was determined using an enzyme-linked immunoassay test. To study the relationship between statherin saliva level and studied dental clinical features (amount of teeth with caries, sealed and extracted teeth, age, hygiene indices, eating and smoking habits, xerostomia), Spearman nonparametric rank correlation test was used. Results. Statherin saliva level was higher in patients with dental caries and its complications compared to healthy controls. Mean saliva statherin concentration was Me=6.1 [2.5, 18.4] mmol/l in patients with caries compared to Me=3.5 [2.9, 7.3] mmol/l in control group. There was no statistically significant differences of saliva staterin concentrations between men and women in both groups. Oral hygiene (as defined by simplified oral hygiene index), food consumption (right after a meal or 4 hours after a meal), bad habits (smoking) had no effect on statherin concentrations in saliva. Conclusions. Statherin saliva levels are indicative of the diseases of the oral cavity.