title: Association of salivary calcium, phosphate, pH and flow rate on oral health: A study on 90 subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to compare inorganic salivary calcium, phosphate, flow rate and pH of un-stimulated saliva and oral hygiene of healthy subjects, patients with periodontitis and dental caries and to correlate salivary calcium level with the number of intact teeth.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study consisted of 90 patients aged between 18 and 55 years and were divided into three groups, periodontitis, dental caries and controls. Oral hygiene index-simplified, probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level and number of teeth present, teeth with active carious lesions were recorded. Salivary flow rate and pH was recorded and subjected to biochemical investigation. Estimation of inorganic calcium and phosphate was performed by colorimetric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed statistically significant increase in salivary inorganic calcium and phosphate levels, poor oral hygiene status, pH and salivary flow rate in patients with periodontitis when compared with dental caries group and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals who have increased salivary inorganic calcium, phosphate, pH, flow rate and maintain poor oral hygiene could be at a higher risk for developing periodontitis and may have less dental caries and more number of intact teeth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics and Implantology, Surendera Dental College & Research Institute, Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiyaz
authors.forename: Amitha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.forename: Karthikeyan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ramalingam
authors.forename: Biju
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Sucheta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.forename: Prashanth
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prakash
keywords: Flow rate; pH; phosphate; salivary calcium