Anbuselvi Mattuvar Kuzhali S¹,
C.Hemachandrika²,
Vishwanatha Rao B³,
Anand Moses CR⁴
¹Department of Physiology, Stanley Medical College,
²Kilpauk Medical College,
³Madha Medical College,
⁴Retd.Director, Institute of Diabetology, Madras Medical College, (All affiliated to The Tamil Nadu Dr.MGR Medical University, Chennai, India

Abstract

• Background: Human saliva is a viscoelastic fluid and its secretion is basically a neurally regulated mechanism. Its flow and composition depends on the functional integrity of the nerves supplying the gland. Salivary testing works by placing an acid stress in the mouth to see if a person adapts a healthy alkaline response.
• Aim: Our study aims at identifying the early autonomic neuropathic changes in diabetes by evaluating salivary pH. The objectives were to study the change in pH of salivary secretion following an acid challenge (vitamin-c) between diabetics and controls,to correlate the magnitude of change in salivary pH with diabetic neuropathy and fasting blood glucose and to assess the influence of duration of diabetic illness on change in salivary pH.
• Materials and Methods: 82 diabetic patients and 82 age-sex matched controls were tested for salivary pH before and after oral administration of vitamin-C. The change in salivary pH, fasting blood glucose level, duration of diabetes along with clinical manifestation of neuropathy were noted. Data were analyzed using SPSS.
• Results: The resting salivary pH of the diabetic and control were same. Magnitude of change in salivary ph following an acid challenge in diabetic were significantly less (p<0.001). Longer the duration of diabetes lesser is the the magnitude of change in salivary pH to an acid stress.
• Conclusion: A significant decrease in stimulated salivary pH following vitamin-C challenge in diabetics implies decreased salivary secretion due to autonomic blunting in diabetic patients.

Keywords: autonomic dysfunction, salivary pH, Type 2 Diabetes mellitus