Salivary Content Might be Associated With Skeletal Status in Postmenopausal Women: SilesiaOsteoActive Study Results

Elżbieta Tabor; Hanna Hűpsch; Joanna Rokicka; Teresa Sierpińska; Jerzy Konstantynowicz; Karolina Orywal; Wojciech Pluskiewicz

doi:10.1016/j.jocd.2020.02.001

Salivary Content Might be Associated With Skeletal Status in Postmenopausal Women: SilesiaOsteoActive Study Results

J Clin Densitom. 2021 Jan-Mar;24(1):14-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jocd.2020.02.001. Epub 2020 Feb 7.

Authors

Elżbieta Tabor¹, Hanna Hűpsch², Joanna Rokicka³, Teresa Sierpińska⁴, Jerzy Konstantynowicz⁵, Karolina Orywal⁶, Wojciech Pluskiewicz⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Nephrology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
² Department of Periodontal and Oral Mucosa Diseases in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
³ Non-public Medical Centre, Joanna Rokicka Dentistry and Orthodontics NZOZ Stomatologia i Ortodoncja, Zabrze, Poland.
⁴ Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
⁵ Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Immunology, and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
⁶ Department of Biochemical Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
⁷ Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Nephrology; Metabolic Bone Diseases Unit, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.

PMID: 32146075
DOI: 10.1016/j.jocd.2020.02.001

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate whether salivary mineral content may be associated with bone status in women after menopause.

Material and methods: The study group consisted of 125 postmenopausal women aged 64.3 ± 6.9 yr, derived from the epidemiological SilesiaOsteoActive Study. All participants underwent hip and spine bone densitometry using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, dental examination, and saliva content analysis. Data for salivary pH, copper, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc concentrations were evaluated.

Results: Mean femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) was 0.739 ± 0.118 g/cm², total hip BMD 0.891 ± 0.14 g/cm², and spine BMD 0.868 ± 0.14 g/cm². Salivary pH was significantly lower in women with spinal osteoporosis defined as T-score below -2.5, compared to individuals with normal BMD (pH: 6.65 ± 0.67 vs 6.96 ± 0.58, p < 0.05). There was a significant though weak inverse correlation between Ca concentration in saliva and femoral neck BMD (r = -0.23, p < 0.05).

Conclusions: High salivary calcium content and low salivary pH may be indicative of low hip and decreased spine BMD, respectively. These associations may reflect demineralization process (calcium redistribution) influencing bone, and a negative effect of acidity on mineral tissues, although causal pathway remains not clear.

Keywords: Mineral content; osteoporosis; postmenopausal women; sliva.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Absorptiometry, Photon
Bone Density
Female
Humans
Osteoporosis*
Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal* / diagnostic imaging
Postmenopause