TABLE 2.
Carious lesions in the previous 24 months, according to patient’s age and salivary characteristics.
| SALIVARY CHARACTERISTIC | MEAN (SD*) NO. OF CARIES LESIONS
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children and Adolescents (9–17 Years Old) (n = 350) | Adults (18–64 Years Old) (n = 676) | Older Adults (≥ 65 Years Old) (n = 361) | TOTAL (N = 1,387) | |
|
| ||||
| Overall | 1.1 (2.5) | 1.6 (2.7) | 1.4 (2.3) | 1.4 (2.5) |
|
| ||||
| Salivary Consistency | ||||
| Thick, sticky or frothy | 0.6 (0.9) | 1.1 (1.9) | 1.9 (3.3) | 1.3 (2.5) |
| Watery and clear | 1.1 (2.5) | 1.7 (2.7) | 1.3 (2.1) | 1.4 (2.5) |
|
| ||||
| Resting Salivary Flow, in seconds | ||||
| ≤ 60 | 1.1 (2.5) | 1.7 (2.8) | 1.5 (2.6) | 1.5 (2.7) |
| > 60 to < 90 | 1.9 (2.1) | 1.7 (2.7) | 1.1 (1.6) | 1.5 (2.3) |
| ≥ 90 | 0.7 (1.6) | 1.4 (1.9) | 1.2 (1.7) | 1.3 (1.8) |
|
| ||||
| Stimulated Salivary Flow Rate, in mL†/minute | ||||
| ≤ 0.6 | 1.0 (2.0) | 1.7 (2.6) | 2.5 (3.5) | 1.7 (2.7) |
| > 0.6 to < 1.0 | 1.2 (3.3) | 1.8 (2.8) | 1.7 (3.2) | 1.5 (3.1) |
| ≥ 1.0 | 1.1 (2.2) | 1.6 (2.6) | 1.1 (1.7) | 1.4 (2.3) |
|
| ||||
| Resting Salivary pH | ||||
| ≤ 6.0 | 1.3 (2.8) | 2.3 (3.3) | 1.9 (2.7) | 2.1 (3.0) |
| > 6.0 to < 6.4 | 2.2 (3.9) | 1.3 (1.9) | 1.2 (1.6) | 1.4 (2.1) |
| ≥ 6.4 | 1.1 (2.4) | 1.6 (2.7) | 1.2 (2.2) | 1.4 (2.5) |
|
| ||||
| Stimulated Salivary pH | ||||
| ≤ 7.0 | 1.6 (2.6) | 1.7 (2.6) | 1.6 (2.7) | 1.7 (2.6) |
| > 7.0 to < 7.6 | 1.0 (2.0) | 1.9 (3.1) | 1.0 (1.4) | 1.5 (2.6) |
| ≥ 7.6 | 1.1 (2.6) | 1.5 (2.5) | 1.3 (2.3) | 1.4 (2.5) |
|
| ||||
| Salivary Buffering Capacity‡ | ||||
| 0–3 | 0.8 (2.3) | 3.0 (4.6) | 1.7 (1.9) | 2.1 (3.7) |
| 4–5 | 1.2 (1.9) | 1.6 (2.2) | 1.0 (1.6) | 1.4 (2.0) |
| 6–12 | 1.1 (2.6) | 1.5 (2.4) | 1.3 (2.3) | 1.4 (2.4) |
*
Standard deviation.
†
mL: Milliliter.
‡
Buffering capacity determined by adding the values assigned to each color, according to the manufacturer’s instructions: green, 4; blue/green, 3; blue, 2; blue/red, 1; and red, 0.