Salivary variables in relation to tobacco smoking and female sex steroid hormone-use in 30 to 59-year-old women.

Several systemic conditions may have an influence on oral health. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has a positive effect on alveolar bone of menopausal women and smoking a negative effect. However, little is known about their effect on saliva. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of hormone-use and tobacco smoking on the composition of saliva, in particular on the inorganic constituents. Salivary samples were collected from a representative study group comprising 1,013 women (30-59 years) participating in a pre-screen referral program for osteoporosis. The participants were divided into 2 subgroups according to age. The younger group (< or = 45 years) comprised 413 women and the older group (> or = 50 years) 600 women. Salivary calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, inorganic phosphate, total protein, and flow rate of paraffin-stimulated saliva were measured. In the older age group, female sex steroid users (hormone users) had lower salivary protein concentrations than non-users. Smoking was associated with high salivary calcium, magnesium, and potassium levels in the group of older participants. Neither tobacco smoking nor female sex steroid hormones had any significant effect on the salivary composition in the younger age group. In conclusion, smoking was reflected more clearly than female sex steroid hormone-use in the inorganic composition of saliva in the older age group. The salivary composition was not affected by hormone-use or by smoking among the younger age group.