European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

RELATIONSHIP OF SALIVARY pH AND BUFFER CAPACITY WITH DENTAL CARIES STATUS IN CHILDREN RESIDING IN ORPHANAGES OF UDAIPUR CITY

Dr. Subha Dogra*, Dr. Ruchi Arora, Dr. Dashmesh Thakur, Dr. Pratibha Taneja

ABSTRACT

Caries affects persons of both sexes in all races, all socio-economic strata, and every age group. As children reach school age, they will have an increasing incidence of carious lesions because of change in dietary habits, which includes refined carbohydrates and sweeteners. It is also profoundly affected by other factors like oral hygiene and saliva. The various components of saliva play individual roles in the total properties of saliva. Salivary flow, pH and buffering capacity play an important role in the initiation and progression of dental caries. The sudy was undertaken to evaluate the relationship of dental caries status with salivary pH and buffer capacity in the children residing in the orphanages of Udaipur district, India. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 600 children aged 5, 12 and 15 years living in different orphanage houses of Udaipur city. The WHO oral health assessment form status form was used to evaluate the dental caries status. The salivary pH and buffer capacity were measured using G C Saliva Check. The data obtained was statistically analysed and the result showed that the salivary pH and buffer capacity did not show a significant relation with the dental caries status.

Keywords: Dental caries, salivary pH, buffer capacity, orphanages, saliva.