Hormonal and Physiological Salivary Changes in Sample of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism, which considered as a severe neurological disorder, presents in early childs life. There is severe defect in contact and behavior. It considered as a multi-factorial disorder, which influenced by genetic, environmental and immunological factors, which linked by oxidative stress. Diagnosis of oral manifestations, measurement of stressbiomarker in saliva has to be evaluated and measured in to be used as a diagnostic aid because saliva considered as ultra-filtrate of serum and inexpensive, noninvasive and accessible diagnostic methodology. Aim of the study To assess any oral manifestations associated with autism and the value of saliva as a diagnostic tool, by measuring some biochemical markers, to provide a greater mechanistic insight into autism spectrum disorder pathology. Subjects, Materials and Methods Fifty autistic children and thirty, sex and age-matched healthy control, aged between (6-12) years were enrolled in this study. Dental health status and salivalevel of cortisol measured for all participants. Results Current study revealed that caries prevalence and severity of permanent teeth in autistics (DMFT mean=1.680) were significantly lower than in healthy children (DMFT mean=2.367) with P=0.003, while for deciduous teeth, the prevalence and severity of caries (dmft mean=1.420) were lower than that of healthy children (dmftmean=2.033,) but the difference was statistically not significant (p = 0.057). There is significant increased production of stress biomarker cortisol (mean=5.043) in autistics than in healthy ones (mean=1.750). Conclusions The study results revealed that autistic children sample in Iraq was nearly caries-free. Saliva can considered as accompanying diagnostic aid for measurement of stress markers.