Sialochemistry of Parotid, and Assessment of Dental Caries Rate and Gingivitis in Patients with Major Thalassemia

Systemic consequences of major thalassemia (MT), can induce some changes in saliva chemistry, and increase dental caries, as well as gingivitis in patients.The aim of this study was to compare the sialochemistry of saliva, state of dental caries, and gingivitis in MT patients with healthy individuals.

In this historical cohort study, 28 MT patients (9 girls and 19 boys) with the mean age of 11/75 years, and 60 healthy individuals (20 girls and 40 boys)with the mean age of 11/36 years as a control group were examined from DMF and GI index point of view. After stimulation of parotid gland, secretions were collected from both groups. The saliva samples were tested for calcium, phosphor, potassium, sodium, and urea. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 13 using Mann-Whitney and t-test.Dental caries and gingivitis were shown to be higher in MT patients compared to the control group (p<0.001). Also results from sialochemistry of parotid showed that, the mean calcium and phosphor saliva concentrations were significantly higher in patients with MT than in the control group (p<0.001). However, the mean urea and sodium concentrations in saliva were significantly lower in the control group (p=0.009, p=0.035). The potassium content in patient's saliva did not have a significant difference with the control group (p=0.34).The result of this study showed that dental caries, gingivitis, and mean saliva concentration of calcium and phosphor was higher in MT patients than the control group but sodium and urea in the healthy group was higher. Concentration of potassium did not show any difference between the two groups.