Correlation between the PH of Saliva, Plaque and buffering capacity of saliva

Background of the study: pH of saliva and plaque will result in white spot lesions on the tooth surface which are considered initialization of caries because of demineralization. The buffering capacities of saliva and plaque will reduce the pH and result in the reduction of white spot lesions. Aims of the study: To evaluate the correlation among the pH of saliva and plaque and buffering capacity of saliva. Introduction: Dental caries is a disease where bacterial processes cause damage to the hard tooth structure, characterized by acid demineralization (represented by pH) of the tooth enamel. Changes to the microflora within the oral cavity result in an overgrowth of various bacteria like mutans streptococci and Lactobacilli that cause Dental Caries by producing acids. Methodology: A study designed with 50 subjects from whom stimulated saliva samples and plaque were collected to measure the buffering capacity with using chair-side kits (CRT Buffer, Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein) and pH with a chair side test strip, Hydrion (9800) Spectral 0-14 Plastic pH Strip (Micro Essential Laboratories, USA).The data were processed statistically with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 20.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA). Results: No significant correlation exists among the pH of saliva and plaque. Buffering capacity of saliva reduces the pH of saliva to some extent. Conclusions: Buffering capacity of saliva reduces the pH of saliva to some extent, but have not much role in the reduction of pH of plaque.