title: Saliva composition in three selected groups with normal stimulated salivary flow rates, but yet major differences in caries experience and dental erosion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It was hypothesized that, by comparing matched subjects with major differences in these dental diseases, but yet normal saliva flow rates, it would be possible to obtain data on the effect of saliva composition on dental disease isolated from the effect of the flow rate. Thus, the aim of the study was to compare the major physicochemical characteristics of stimulated whole saliva in three groups of 85 subjects, each with normal saliva flow rates and at least 24 remaining teeth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group with very little dental disease (healthy), a group with dental erosion (erosion) and a group with very high caries experience (caries) were chosen. Furthermore, the aim was to determine whether differences among groups could also be found on an individual level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although it was not possible to retrieve three groups whose members were completely identical, the present study points in the direction that, on a group level, subjects with very little dental disease seemed to have a more favorable physicochemical saliva composition with respect to higher calcium, phosphate, bicarbonate, pH, degree of saturation with respect to hydroxyapatite and a lower critical pH (p < 0.05 or less). However, on an individual level the explanatory power for the saliva composition was only 10% for caries experience and only 11% for dental erosion (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The compositional analyses performed in this study on stimulated whole saliva, including major physicochemical characteristics of saliva, will most likely have little predictive value for future dental caries and erosion in single individuals.
authors.affiliation: Section of Oral Medicine.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bardow
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lykkeaa
authors.forename: Vibeke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Qvist
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ekstrand
authors.forename: Svante
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Twetman
authors.forename: Niels-Erik
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Fiehn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: bicarbonate; calcium; chewing-stimulated whole saliva composition; dental caries; dental erosion; phosphate