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.