Correlation between bone mineral density of the radius and concentration of ions in the human resting saliva.

Abstract

Analyzing the correlation between the electrolyte concentration of the human resting-saliva and the radial bone mineral density (BMD), the following results were obtained. Salivary electrolyte and related indices such as pH₁, △pH₁, △pH_L, [Na⁺], and [K⁺] were measured by means of thin layer sampling.

1. Corresponding to the difference in radial BMD between the female groups of the nontreated osteoprotic patients and the nonosteoporotic patients, a significant difference was found in both the salivary pH₁ and [K⁺].

2. In the nontreated groups plus the nonosteoporotic female and male groups, significant positive correlations were found between radial BMD and pH₁ of the resting-saliva, as well as between the BMD and salivary △pH₁ in the nontreated group of high△pH₁ only in the females.

3. A significant negative correlation was found between the radial BMD and the salivary [K⁺] in the nontreated female group and the treated male group.

4. In the treated female and male groups, no signficant correlation was found in most of the parameters as previously stated.

5. Although no significant difference was found in the male groups, a significant difference in the salivary [Na⁺] was found between the nonmedicated female group and the medicated one. This suggests that the drug improving the bone metabolism can change the function of the salivary gland, in addition to that of the bone tissue.