Glucose and pH of Oral Secretions in Newborns

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Oral glucose and pH are known as critical indicators for the growth of microorganism inside the oral cavity. This study was performed to identify oral glucose and pH variances in the early postnatal days of newborns. METHODS: An explorative study which included 67 newborns was conducted to measure the oral glucose and pH during the first three days of life. Oral secretions were collected every 8 hours for three days or 6 to 9 times immediately after birth up to discharge. Oral glucose and pH variances during the three days were analyzed using the SPSS 22.0. RESULTS: Oral glucose was 30.66±22.01mg/dl at birth then increased to 54.77±27.96mg/dl at the third day of life (F=8.04, p<.001) while oral pH decreased from 7.35±0.36 to 5.53±0.39 during the three days (F=113.35, p<.001). Oral glucose and pH were related to gestational age, regurgitation, and maternal diabetic mellitus. A negative correlation was found between oral glucose and pH (r=-.34, p<.001). CONCLUSION: Oral glucose and pH can be utilized for oral health assessment in newborns. Further study is needed to explore the factors which influence oral glucose and pH in high-risk newborns.