Oral Conditions, Salivary pH, Flow Rate, Phosphate Level, and Phosphorus Intake of Pre- and Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate salivary parameters, including pH, flow rate, phosphate levels, and phosphorus intake, to explore potential variations between postmenopausal and premenopausal women.

Material and methods: This study included 68 postmenopausal and 94 premenopausal women. Inclusion criteria comprised women aged 45 to 65 years with a minimum menopausal duration of 2 years and women aged 21 to 40 years for premenopausal participants. Exclusion criteria involved systemic diseases and any dental treatments received in the last 6 months. Direct observation facilitated the visual detection of intraoral inflammation, ulcers, plaque, calculus, dental mobility, and caries. A questionnaire covering demographic data, dental pain, xerostomia, burning sensation, ulcer etiology and duration, and gingival bleeding etiology was administered. Phosphorus intake was assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Unstimulated whole saliva, collected by spitting, was analyzed for various salivary parameters, such as pH, flow rate, and phosphate level. The atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine subjects' salivary phosphate level.

Statistical analysis: The difference in intraoral conditions between groups was analyzed using the chi-square or Fisher's exact test. For the comparison of salivary parameters and phosphorus intake between study groups, the ANOVA: univariate general linear model was utilized. The correlation between salivary phosphate levels and age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and phosphorus intake was examined using Spearman's rank correlation.

Results: The postmenopausal group demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence (p < 0.005) of gingival swelling, gingival discoloration, gingival recession, plaque, calculus, caries, tooth mobility, xerostomia, and burning sensation. Following adjustments for age, BMI, and blood pressure, a statistically significant difference in salivary flow rate between groups was observed (p = 0.008). No significant differences were found in salivary pH (p = 0.764), salivary phosphate level (p = 0.142), or phosphorus intake (p = 0.323) between the two groups. There was no significant correlation between salivary phosphate levels and age (p = 0.747), BMI (p = 0.308), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.747), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.622), and phosphorus intake (0.829) in both groups.

Conclusion: Postmenopausal women exhibited a lower salivary flow rate compared with premenopausal women. No differences or correlations were observed in salivary phosphate level and phosphorus intake between the two groups.