Total antioxidant levels of saliva in children related to caries, age, and gender.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the physicochemical properties of saliva such as flow rate, buffering capacity, pH, calcium level, total protein, total antioxidant status, and dental caries, age, and gender.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The antioxidant activity of saliva was investigated in 80 healthy children aged 7-15 years. They were divided into subgroups according to gender, age (7-10 years and 11-15 years), and caries activity (caries active=CA and caries free=CF). Unstimulated saliva samples were collected from all groups. Flow rates were determined, and samples analysed for pH, buffer capacity, calcium, total proteins, and total antioxidant status. Salivary total antioxidant activity (TAA) was estimated by an adaptation of the ABTS (2,2-azino-di (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate)) assay.
RESULTS: The results indicated that in general, although there was no linear association between salivary flow rate pH and buffering capacity values obtained from different groups, salivary calcium concentration values were found to be higher in caries free groups. Total protein and total antioxidant values were higher in caries active groups except those in the 11- to 15-year-old girls group.
CONCLUSION: In general, total protein and total antioxidant insaliva were increased with caries activity. Calcium concentrations in saliva were higher in caries-free children. In addition, calcium concentration increased with age. Thus, it can be concluded that a linear association exists between calcium concentration age and caries activity. More clinical and laboratory studies are needed to determine the exact relationship between the physicochemical properties of saliva such as flow rate, buffering capacity, pH, calcium level, total protein, total antioxidant status, and dental caries, age, and gender.