Sucrose-stimulated Salivary pH as an Adjunct to Caries Risk Assessment

Background Child and maternal sucrose-stimulated salivary pH ( SSS pH ) levels have the potential to be associated with childhood caries. Aim This study investigated the relationships among child and maternal SSS pH and child caries diagnosis, severity, and risk. Design SSS pH levels were measured from 202 pediatric subjects and 175 mothers. Early childhood caries ( ECC ) and severe ECC ( SECC ) diagnoses, caries risk assessment ( CRA ) results, and caries severity scores were recorded. The associations between child and maternal SSS pH and children’s caries risk, diagnosis, and severity were respectively assessed using regression models. Results Children with SSS pH ≤5.6 had higher odds to be diagnosed with ECC or SECC (aOR=7.27), and higher odds to present with moderate to extensive caries severity (aOR=5.63). Child SSS pH was associated with multiple risk factors on a CRA. When child SSS pH was adjusted for age, gender, and race/ethnicity as a predictor for SECC and ECC, the sensitivity and specificity estimates increased. Maternal and child SSS pH were positively associated. Conclusions Dentists should consider the use of children’s SSS pH as an inexpensive adjunct to the CRA and know that maternal and child SSS pH are significantly associated. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This study was funded by the Hansjorg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, NYU Langone Health. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Ethics committee/IRB of the New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine gave ethical approval for this work. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable. Yes All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors.