PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Voelker, Marsha A.
AU  - Simmer-Beck, Melanie
AU  - Cole, Molly
AU  - Keeven, Erin
AU  - Tira, Daniel
TI  - Preliminary Findings on the Correlation of Saliva pH, Buffering Capacity, Flow, Consistency and Streptococcus mutans in Relation to Cigarette Smoking
DP  - 2013 Feb 01
TA  - American Dental Hygienists Association
PG  - 30--37
VI  - 87
IP  - 1
4099  - http://jdh.adha.org/content/87/1/30.short
4100  - http://jdh.adha.org/content/87/1/30.full
SO  - J Dent Hyg2013 Feb 01; 87
AB  - Purpose: The purpose of this preliminary study was to examine the relationship of caries risk, salivary buffering capacity, salivary pH, salivary quality (flow, consistency) and levels of Streptococcus mutans in relation to cigarette smoking. Methods: This clinical trial consisted of 53 volunteer patients receiving care in a university based dental hygiene clinic. Participants completed a questionnaire specific to their social history in regards to tobacco use, oral health and dietary history. Measurements of unstimulated saliva were collected followed by collection of stimulated saliva samples. These samples were used to measure salivary pH, buffering capacity and Streptococcus mutans levels. Results: The subject's smoking status was significantly associated with caries risk (p= 0.001), with 25% of the variability of caries risk attributed to smoking. The smoking status was significantly associated with buffering capacity (p=0.025), with 9% of the variability of buffering status attributed to the smoking. Associations between smoking status and salivary pH were not statistically significant. The subject's caries risk was significantly associated with buffering capacity (p= 0.001), with 25% of the variability of caries risk attributed to the buffering capacity. The subject's caries risk was significantly associated with salivary pH (p= 0.031), with 9% of the variability of caries risk attributed to the salivary pH. The Streptococcus mutans test showed no statistical significance (p>0.05) possibly due to the number and low variance in the subjects. Conclusion: A relationship between caries risk and smoking, buffering capacity and smoking, and stimulated salivary pH and smoking were concluded. No significance difference (p>0.05) between caries risk and salivary pH, salivary quality and smoking, S. mutans and smoking were noted from the preliminary results.