A comparative evaluation of salivary calcium, inorganic phosphorous and alkaline phosphatase with dental caries status in school children Singh Shamsher, Reader, Arora Rajni K, Reader, Jasuja Purshottam, Professor and Head, Chandna Preetika, Reader, Sharma Nitin, Senior Lecturer Address for Correspondence: Dr. Shamsher Singh, Reader, Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, Vyas Dental college& Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. Email: drshamsher_singh@yahoo.com
Online published on 25 November, 2013. Abstract Dental caries, because of its uniqueness as a disease, its ubiquitous nature and stubborn resistance to resolution, remains as one of man's common and oldest ailments and saliva being source of antimicrobial and buffering agent, has an important role to protect the oral tissues especially the teeth against decay. This study was carried out to evaluate the components of saliva and their relationship to dental caries. Unstimulated whole saliva was obtained from 60 school children in the age group of 3–6 years, divided into 3 groups. Group I dmft <1 (caries free), Group II dmft <6 (moderate caries) and Group III dmft >6 (severe caries). Unstimulated whole saliva assayed by standardized biochemical methods to determine concentration of salivary calcium, inorganic phosphorous and alkaline phosphatase activity. The results showed the higher levels of inorganic phosphorous and activity of alkaline phosphatase in group II & group III as compared to group I. whereas activity of salivary calcium decreased in group II and III as compared to group I. Top Keywords Dental caries, Calcium, Inorganic Phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and saliva. Top |