title: Salivary pH levels and caries among siblings and parents within families.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High level of caries activity is related to organisms in the dental plaque with high acidogenesis capacity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test salivary pH in children of the same family and compare it with their caries status. To compare pH levels between children and their parents. To examine the relationship between pH and caries status among children of the same family and their parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 123 children and adolescents aged 3-18, (73 boys and 50 girls) and 33 adults, (12 men and 21 women), parents of these children. Caries status was examined clinically, using DMF index. Salivary pH measurements were made by a digital pH meter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among adults, increase in patient age led to increased DMF (p = 0.005). The higher the pH, the lower the DMF (p = 0.037). Among men, DMF was lower by 3 compared to women (p = 0.049). Children's pH correlated with the parents' (p = 0.004). Children's DMF correlated to their pH (p = 0.001). Children's pH was the best predictor of their DMF (R2 = 0.309, p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among children, the higher the pH, the lower the DMFT. Children's pH was the best predictor of their DMF.
authors.forename: Yaffa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Basch
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peretz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000145:classification; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents; D012463:Saliva / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D035781:Siblings; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000145:classification