Correlation between Salivary pH, Buffer Capacity, and Oral Hygiene in Orthodontic Patients with Non-syndromic Cleft Lip and Palate

Orthodontic patients with cleft lip and palate generally have poor oral hygiene due to residual scar tissue from multiple surgical procedures in the cleft area, which interferes with effective tooth cleaning. Calculus, one of the local etiological factors for periodontal disease, forms under the influence of various factors, including saliva. Notably, salivary pH and buffer capacity play roles in calculus formation. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between salivary pH, buffer capacity, and oral hygiene in orthodontic patients with non-syndromic cleft lip and palate.

This was a cross-sectional observational analytic study involving orthodontic patients with non-syndromic cleft lip and palate treated at the Orthodontic Specialist Teaching Clinic of Oral and Dental Hospital, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia (n=20). Saliva was collected passively for salivary pH and buffer capacity testing, while oral hygiene was assessed using the OHI-S index by summing the Debris Index (DI) and Calculus Index (CI).

The results of this study showed that 85.71% of the samples had normal pH, and 90.48% had very low buffer capacity. The oral health level of the respondents was in the moderate category based on the OHI-S examination (61.90%). Most of the participants had a good Calculus Index (90.48%) and a moderate value on the Debris Index (57.14%). The statistical test results showed no significant relationship between salivary pH and OHI-S, with a p-value of 0.22 (p > 0.05). The Debris Index (DI) and Calculus Index (CI) also showed non-significant p-values of 0.09 (p>0.05) and 0.28 (p >0.05), respectively. In contrast, salivary buffer capacity demonstrated a significant positive relationship with the Calculus Index (CI), with a p-value of 0.01 (t<0.05). Thus, salivary pH does not significantly influence calculus formation, while salivary buffer capacity does influence the Calculus Index (CI) in patients with non-syndromic cleft lip and palate.

In conclusion, there was a negative but statistically non-significant correlation between Salivary pH, buffer capacity, and oral health.