title: Habit-associated salivary pH changes in oral submucous fibrosis-A controlled cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a multi-causal inflammatory reaction to the chemical or mechanical trauma caused due to exposure to arecanut containing products with or without tobacco (ANCP/T). Arecanut and additional components such as lime and chewing tobacco render ANCP/T highly alkaline. Fibrosing repair is a common reaction to an alkaline exposure in the skin. OSF may be related to the alkaline exposure by ANCP/T in a similar manner.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study was aimed at establishing the relationship of habit-associated salivary pH changes and OSF.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was controlled cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Base line salivary pH (BLS pH), salivary pH after chewing the habitual ANCP/T substance, post chew salivary pH (PCSpH) for 2 min and salivary pH recovery time (SpHRT) were compared in 30 OSF patients and 30 sex-matched individuals with ANCP/T habits and apparently healthy oral mucosa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group's mean BLSpH values were similar and within normal range and representative of the population level values. The average PCSpH was significantly higher (P ˂ 0.0001) than the average BLSpH in both groups. There was no significant difference (P = 0.09) between PCSpH of OSF patients and controls. OSF patients had a significantly longer (P = 0.0076) SpHRT than controls. Factors such as age, daily exposure, cumulative habit years, BLSpH and PCSpH, had varying effects on the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chewing ANCP/T causes a significant rise in salivary pH of all individuals. SpHRT has a significant association with OSF. The effect of salivary changes in OSF patients differs with those in healthy controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Mandana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donoghue
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Praveen S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Basandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adarsh
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Madhushankari
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selvamani
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Prachi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nayak
keywords: Alkaline saliva; oral sub-mucous fibrosis; salivary pH