The Relationship between the Sialic Acid Contents in Saliva and the Clinical Findings

Abstract

The correlation between the sialic acid contents in whole saliva and the degree of clinical findings in patients suffering from periodontal diseases was investigated.
Clinical findings were examined in the facial surface of the four first fully erupted molars, and in the facial surface of the maxillary right central incisor and mandibular left central incisor as follows: The plaque and calculus score was determined by Green-Vermillion's method; the degree of gingival inflammation was examined by a modification of Schour-Massler's method; the depth of periodontal pocket was measured with a pocket maker; and the degree of alveolar bone loss was measured on X-ray photos by method of Schei et al.
The sialic acid contents of whole saliva was measured by Bial's method.
The following results were obtained:
1) A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the sialic acid content and the degree of gingival inflammation (p<0.05).
2) The salivary sialic acid content in patients suffering from periodontal diseases was higher than that of normal subjects (p<0.05).