|
Comparative evaluation of alteration in salivary pH among gutkha chewers with and without oral submucous fibrosis and healthy subjects: A prospective case-control study
Prashant Tamgadge1, Rashmi Wasekar2, Sunita Kulkarni3, Ajay Chandran4, Sanchit Jain5, KV Chalapathi6, Abhishek Singh Nayyar7
1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Chhattisgarh Dental College and Research Institute, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, India
2 Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Swargiya Dadasaheb Kalmegh Smruti Dental College and Hospital, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
3 Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Guru Gobind Singh College of Dental Science and Research Centre, Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
4 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sathyabama Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
5 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hitkarini Dental College and Hospital, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
6 Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Care Dental College and Hospital, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
7 Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Saraswati Dhanwantari Dental College and Hospital and Post-graduate Research Institute, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Abhishek Singh Nayyar
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Saraswati Dhanwantari Dental College and Hospital and Post-graduate Research Institute, Parbhani, Maharashtra,
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/jco.jco_12_20
|
|
Context and Aim: Several studies have shown that during gutkha chewing, many harmful chemicals and metals are leached-out into the saliva altering salivary parameters including the flow rate and pH, whereas the normal range of salivary pH is recorded to be within 5.5–7.9 with the flow rate in a range of 0.33–1.42 mL/min. Due to a scarcity of literature on this aspect of the disease process of patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), this study intended to assess and compare the pH of saliva among gutkha chewers with and without OSMF and healthy subjects. Materials and Methods: This study was designed as a prospective case-control study comprising 90 individuals within an age range of 15–50 years who were divided into three groups with Group A consisting of 30 patients who were gutkha chewers with OSMF, Group B consisting of 30 individuals who were gutkha chewers but without OSMF, and Group C consisting of 30 healthy subjects who were included as normal controls. Salivary pH was measured using the pH indicator strips (INDIKROM PAPERS, pH: 3.5–6 and pH: 6.5–9). Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 (SPSS, Chicago, Illinois). Comparison of the said parameters was done using chi-square test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey’s post hoc test. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The results were not found to be statistically significant when the pH among OSMF (Group A) and individuals with habit but without OSMF (Group B) was compared, though, significant between Groups A and C. Conclusion: From the findings of this study, it could be concluded that “reduced salivary pH could be a significant initial subjective sign of OSMF.” An early diagnosis and management of these changes, thus, can not only help such patients to improve their quality of life (QoL) significantly but also can decrease the chances of the ongoing malignant transformation. |
