Sidhant Sudan, Praveen Verma, Vinod Patel, Pramod Bhagat, Uttam Parmar, Anshul Sahu

ABSTRACT

Background Saliva plays an important role in the maintenance of oral health by exhibiting multiple host defense functions. This study assessed flow rate and pH of unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva before and after complete denture placement. Materials & Methods The present study was conducted on 60 completely edentulous patients of both genders. The flow rates of whole saliva and pH were measured at three different stages, resting (unstimulated) and stimulated whole saliva and pH before complete denture placement, after complete denture placement; and after 3 months of complete denture placement. Results The mean flow rate of resting saliva before denture insertion was 0.35 ml/ min and stimulated saliva was 0.67 ml/ min. The mean flow rate of resting saliva after denture insertion was 0.81 ml/ min and stimulated saliva was 0.94 ml/ min. The mean flow rate of resting saliva after 3 months of denture insertion was 0.72 ml/ min and stimulated saliva was 0.82 ml/ min. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). The mean pH of resting saliva before denture insertion was 7.32 and stimulated saliva was 7.40. The mean pH of resting saliva after denture insertion was 7.51 and stimulated saliva was 7.62. The mean pH of resting saliva after 3 months of denture insertion was 7.43 and stimulated saliva was 7.53. The difference was non- significant (P> 0.05). Conclusion Authors found that stimulated salivary flow rates and pH were significantly higher than unstimulated whole salivary flow rates and pH obtained before, immediately after, and after 3 months of complete denture insertion.