Oral health condition and saliva flow in southern Chinese with Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the oral health condition and saliva flow of southern Chinese patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS).


METHODS
51 SS patients (26 primary and 25 secondary cases) and 29 controls took part in this cross-sectional study. Stimulated whole and parotid saliva flow rates, pH, and buffer capacity, and xerostomia, oral mucosal lesions, oral hygiene status, dental and periodontal conditions, prosthetic status were assessed and compared between groups.


RESULTS
Stimulated whole saliva (SWS) flow was reduced in primary and secondary SS cases (p<0.001), pH and buffer capacity were also reduced in the primary SS group (p<0.05). SS patients had a greater prevalence of xerostomia than controls (p<0.001). Primary SS patients had a higher mean DMFT, more missing teeth, and more prostheses than secondary SS cases and controls (p<0.05). SWS flow correlated negatively with the number of filled teeth in both SS groups (p<0.05) and the number of decayed teeth in the primary SS group (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups, the oral health of southern Chinese with primary SS was significantly compromised compared with secondary SS cases and controls, most probably due to the combined effect of impaired salivary gland function and poorer saliva buffer capacity.
Leung
Katherine C M
KC
Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, 34 Hospital Road, Hong Kong SAR, China. kcmleung@hkucc.hku.hk
McMillan
Anne S
AS
Leung
W Keung
WK
Wong
May C M
MC
Lau
Chak S
CS
Mok
Temy M Y
TM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002021:Buffers; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D009911:Oral Hygiene Index; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000150:complications; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000150:complications
D002021:Buffers