Assessment of Salivary pH, Buffer Capacity, and Flow in COVID-19-Infected and Vaccinated Dental Patients

Abstract

Background The impact of COVID-19 infection and immunization on salivary gland function has not yet been fully understood. Therefore, a study to determine salivary pH (SP), salivary buffer capacity (SBC), and salivary flow (SF) in COVID-19-infected and immunized patients seeking dental care is necessary. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to evaluate saliva production at five minutes, SP, and salivary SBC in COVID-19-infected and vaccinated dental patients who were undergoing treatment at a private university dental hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methodology Dental students at Riyadh Elm University were included in this observational study, which involved dental patients. Based on Tawakkalna application records, patients were asked to provide their COVID-19 infection and vaccination status. Mean, standard deviation, and descriptive statistics of the frequency distribution were computed. Results The study included individuals aged 18 to 39 years old, with an average age of around 28.5 years old. The sample had slightly more males than females, but the difference was not significant. In terms of COVID-19 testing, most individuals had tested positive for the virus two or three times. The most common amount of unstimulated saliva produced was 3.5 mL, with most individuals producing between 2 and 3.5 mL of saliva. According to the observations, there were substantial variations between people who tested positive and negative for the COVID-19 virus in terms of SP and buffering capacity, suggesting that these factors could be possible indications of infection. Conclusions This study also emphasizes the value of evaluating several salivary factors to enhance diagnostic precision and the possibility of saliva-based testing as a non-invasive and affordable substitute for conventional diagnostic techniques in relation to oral issues. The study does, however, have several drawbacks, such as the limited sample size and the inability to be generalized to different populations.