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Comparison of the salivary immunoglobulin concentration levels between children with early childhood caries and caries-free children.

BACKGROUND
Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases. In spite of the global decrease in dental caries in the past decades, ECC has become a significant problem in many developing countries and also in a few industrialized nations. Saliva as a host factor can play an important role in the process of dental caries.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare sIgA and IgG as saliva components between ECC and caries-free groups.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, samples of unstimulated saliva of 90 children (45 in ECC group & 45 in caries-free group) were taken with Scully method. Then the concentration levels of sIgA and IgG were measured with Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Single Radial Immunodiffusion methods.


RESULTS
Mean concentration levels of salivary sIgA and IgG were significantly higher among children with ECC (p<0.05). There was also a weak inverse correlation between sIgA level and DMFT index in ECC group but it was not statistically significant (p=0.056).


CONCLUSION
The high concentration of salivary immunoglobulin in children with ECC may be associated with an increased antigenic load, leading to high production of antibodies.