Comparative Assessment of Salivary Flow Rate, Buffering Capacity, Resting PH and Dental Caries in Children with Beta Thalassemia

The aim of the present study was to assess and compare the salivary flow rate, buffering capacity and resting pH of β thalassemic children with healthy children and to compare the proportion of dental caries in β thalassemic children with healthy children. A total of 60 children were included in the study, study group consisted of 30 diagnosed cases of Thalassemia attending the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Bangalore, and control group consisted of 30 healthy children who visited the Department of Pediatric and Preventive dentistry, V S dental college, Bangalore for a routine dental check-up. Salivary parameters like the flow rate, buffering capacity and resting pH were measured using saliva check buffer kit (GC Europe) and dental caries was recorded according to WHO criteria 1997. Salivary flow rate, buffering capacity and resting pH was lower in thalassemic children when compared to that of healthy children and the results were statistically significant. There was a positive correlation between salivary parameters and dental caries. Increased incidence of dental caries in children with thalassemia could be due to poor oral hygiene, poor motivation, endocrine problems, malocclusion, frequent blood transfusion and immune deficiency. In the present study reduced salivary flow rate, low buffering capacity and reduced resting pH has been observed in thalassemic children, which could be the causative factors for the increased incidence of dental caries in these children.