Unstimulated and stimulated salivary characteristics of 12-13-year-old schoolchildren with and without dental erosion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate unstimulated and stimulated salivary characteristics of 12-13-year-old schoolchildren with and without dental erosion. DESIGN: The subjects were sixty schoolchildren from 12-13 years old (30 boys and 30 girls) with dental erosion and sixty age- and sex-matched controls. Unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva were collected. Flow rate, pH level, buffering capacity, bicarbonate, buffer base, calcium, phosphorus and urea concentrations of whole saliva were measured. All data were analysed using SPSS 13.0. RESULTS: The flow rate, pH, bicarbonate, buffer base, calcium, phosphorus, and urea of unstimulated and stimulated saliva did not differ significantly between the dental erosion group and the control group (P>0.05). The stimulated salivary buffering capacity did not vary between the two groups (Fisher's exact test, P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The salivary characteristics are similar amongst 12-13-year-old schoolchildren with and without dental erosion in Southern China.