Association between chronic periodontitis and saliva flow rate

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between chronic periodontitis and saliva flow rate.
Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in 333 participants (age between 18 and 45 years) among the patients attending University of Nairobi Dental Hospital over a period of five months. Three groups were identified based on their periodontal status as healthy, gingivitis and chronic periodontitis. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected using the spit method. The British Society of Periodontology Basic Periodontal Examination index was used to determine the periodontal status of the participants.
Results: The mean saliva flow rate (g/min) of the 333 participants was 0.66 ±0.31 SD. Those with chronic periodontitis had a statistically significant higher saliva flow rate (M=0.68+0.33 SD) than those who had gingivitis (M=0.62+0.28 SD) with p=0.039.
Conclusions: Saliva flow rate increases with the severity of disease in that those found to suffer from periodontitis had a higher flow rate than those with gingivitis or were healthy.