This novel risk detection procedure using saliva, especially indicated for children, as direct beneficiaries, targets those belonging to the most vulnerable quintile, who are the most affected by this problem.
A study addressing caries disease, a chronic and multifactorial condition affecting children worldwide, will determine the association of salivary proteins and microbiome composition in children with at least one caries lesion, a caries history, and the variables that influence their development and persistence.
This research, conducted by Dr. María Inés González, an academic from the School of Dentistry at UANDES and Dr. Martha Hengst López, an academic from Universidad Católica del Norte, "is the first step towards the development of personalized, non-invasive diagnostic tools for early detection and targeted intervention in vulnerable populations, aiming to optimize preventive strategies and address oral health disparities in pediatric populations with limited access to dental care," says Dr. Gonzalez.
This novel risk detection procedure using saliva, especially indicated for children, as direct beneficiaries, targets those belonging to the most vulnerable quintile, who are the most affected by this problem.
The study aims to evaluate the quantity, bacterial, and protein composition of salivary flow in the study groups of children with at least one cavitated caries lesion or a history of caries, versus those who are caries-free. It is a cross-sectional pilot study with 6-year-old children in northern Chile, analyzing the associations between caries prevalence, salivary flow, pH, buffer capacity, and the protein and microbial profile of saliva. Unstimulated saliva samples will be subjected to biochemical and microbiome analysis, focusing on mucins (MUC5B, MUC7), amylase and IgA.
This novel risk detection procedure using saliva, especially indicated for children, as direct beneficiaries, targets those belonging to the most vulnerable quintile, who are the most affected by this problem.
“This study is aimed at children, since it is known that the greatest potential for habit change is at an early age, educating and changing the mentality of a child is a step towards changing the mentality of the entire family," concludes the researcher from the School of Dentistry at Universidad de los Andes.