Study of salivary flow rate in type II diabetics: A case–control study

Context: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic metabolic disorders, which may cause irreversible complications. It affects the salivary glands and thereby affects oral health. Among physical and chemical alterations, changes in the salivary flow rate are particularly important. Hyposalivation is one of the main problems caused due to altered flow rate of stimulated and unstimulated whole saliva in type II diabetic patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to measure the salivary flow rate in type II diabetic patients and to compare with healthy sex- and age-matched controls. Materials and Methods: Whole unstimulated and stimulated saliva was collected from 30 patients with type II diabetes and 30 healthy controls, using the spitting method after it had been pooled for 5 min in the oral cavity. Statistical Analysis: Results were subjected to statistical analysis using Student's t -test and Chi-square test. Results: The results of the study suggested that diabetic patients had significant reduction in salivary flow rate when compared with healthy individuals. Conclusion: The salivary flow rate decreases in patients with diabetes type II in comparison to healthy individuals. Further investigations with larger sample sizes are needed to substantiate the findings of this study.