title: Variations of salivary flow rates in Brazilian school children.
abstract: The salivary flow rate (SFR) in healthy individuals may vary according to different factors. There is a scarcity of studies from different geographical areas that analyze SFR variations in children. The aim of this study was to verify stimulated salivary flow rate (SFR) variations in 6 to 12-year-old children, from four different public schools of Rio de Janeiro and correlate these data to gender, age, type of dentition, and health status. Clinical data were taken from the children's medical records that were kept at those schools. Oral examination and sialometry were performed in every child. Salivary flow rate was obtained by chewing-stimulated whole saliva under standard conditions. There were significant differences in SFR according to age (p = 0.0003). Six and 12-year-old children showed the lowest SFR, and when they were excluded from the analysis, no significant differences were found (p = 0.21). There were also significant differences in SFR among children from different public schools (p = 0.0009). The gender did not show any correlation to SFR, even when children were stratified by age (p = 0.36). Correlation between SFR and deciduous, mixed or permanent dentition was not found as well. These results show that the analyzed clinical variables did not seem to influence SFR in this children population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
authors.forename: Sandra Regina
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Marcio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nucci
authors.forename: Estevão
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Milanos
authors.forename: Renata Pessoa
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Massaud
authors.forename: Taís
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Munhoz
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003817:Dentition; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012472:Salivation / Q000502:physiology; D012636:Secretory Rate; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors