Association between sleep pattern, salivary cariogenic bacteria and fungi populations, pH and buffering capacity in children: A comparative study.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional comparative observational study
PubMed 38668709 · doi:10.17219/dmp/167411
What was done
A cross-sectional study evaluated 85 elementary school children aged 8–12 years to examine the relationship between sleep patterns and oral biomarkers of caries risk. Sleep patterns were assessed via the Persian version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) to classify participants into groups with appropriate or inappropriate sleep patterns. Unstimulated saliva was collected by the spitting method. The groups were compared for salivary pH, buffering capacity, and colony counts of Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus spp., and Candida albicans using chi-square tests, independent samples t-tests, and Spearman correlation.
What was found
Children with inappropriate sleep patterns had significantly lower salivary pH (p < 0.001) and buffering capacity (p < 0.001), as well as significantly higher colony counts of Lactobacillus (p < 0.001) and S. mutans (p = 0.012). No significant association was found for Candida albicans counts (p = 0.121). The abstract reported p-values only and provided no numerical values for pH levels, buffering capacity, or bacterial counts.
Why it matters
This study suggests that poor sleep habits in children may correlate with adverse oral microenvironment changes, specifically reduced acid-buffering defenses and higher cariogenic bacterial loads.
Limits
The cross-sectional design precludes causal conclusions. Sleep was evaluated via a subjective questionnaire rather than objective measures like actigraphy or polysomnography. The sample size was modest (n = 85), exact numerical values and effect sizes were omitted from the abstract, and confounding factors such as diet, nighttime snacking, and oral hygiene practices were not addressed in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Sleeping with an open mouth causes dry mouth that disrupts the oral microbiome, which requires saliva and a neutral pH.