Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of biochemical changes in unstimulated salivary, calcium, phosphorous and total protein during pregnancy

Mahin Bakhshi¹, Majid Sirati Sabet², Elham Sadat Hashemi³, Sedigheh Bakhtiari¹, Maryam Tofangchiha⁴*  Saranaz Azari Marhabi⁵ and Somayyeh Alirezaei⁵

¹Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

²Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

³General Practitioner, Faculty of Dentistry, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

⁴Department of Oral Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

⁵Post Graduated Student , Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry,

Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

*Correspondent author. E-mail: mt_tofangchiha@yahoo.com. Tel: +98 281 335 3061 ,Fax: +98 281 335 3063

Accepted 14 November, 2011

   Abstract

Pregnancy is thought to be predisposed to the impairment of oral and dental health. As saliva contributes to oral homeostasis, this study aimed to compare the changes of total protein, calcium and phosphorous concentration in whole saliva between pregnant and non-pregnant Iranian women. Samples were composed of 60 pregnant and 60 non-pregnant women attending Mirza Koochak khan hospital in Tehran. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected to determine salivary protein, calcium and phosphorous concentration. Data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software, chi square and T-test. Total protein in saliva of pregnant women was significantly more than non pregnant women. Also, values of calcium and phosphorous were significantly lower in pregnant women than that of non pregnant group. While enhancing gestational weeks, salivary total protein increased and calcium and phosphorous levels reduced significantly. Pregnancy may alter biochemical composition of saliva and this could play an important role in the incidence of pregnancy-induced oral health changes.

Key words: Saliva, pregnancy, calcium, phosphorous, protein.