title: The role of the saliva antioxidant barrier to reactive oxygen species with regard to caries development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the antioxidant barrier in the saliva of children with caries, and its impact on the colonization of cariogenic bacteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study of 81 children aged 1-5 years. Antioxidant levels and salivary bacterial profiles were measured. Patients were divided into two groups as follows: initial stage decay, termed non-cavitated (1-2 in International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS)), and extensive decay, termed cavitated lesions (5-6 in ICDAS). The control group includes children without caries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The linear regression model demonstrated that the GSH, GSSG, GSH/GSSG, and total antioxidant capacity levels are influenced (P < 0.05) by: the stage of caries and the dominant bacterial strain. Compared with the other groups (P < 0.001), the highest antioxidant parameters were recorded in the saliva of patients with cavitated lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that the high levels of antioxidants in saliva increase significantly in children in line with the salivary cariogenic bacterial profiles and caries progression.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry , Jagiellonian University Medical College Krakow , Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jurczak
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry , Jagiellonian University Medical College Krakow , Poland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kościelniak
authors.affiliation: b Genetics Laboratory, Department of Endocrinology , Jagiellonian University Medical College Krakow , Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skalniak
authors.affiliation: c Department of Cytobiology, Faculty of Pharmacy , Jagiellonian University Medical College Krakow , Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papież
authors.affiliation: d Department of Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmacy , Jagiellonian University Medical College Krakow , Poland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vyhouskaya
authors.affiliation: d Department of Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmacy , Jagiellonian University Medical College Krakow , Poland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Krzyściak
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
keywords: Saliva; bacterial profiles; early childhood caries; oxidative status