FEATURES OF MICROCRYSTALLIZATION AND MINERALIZATION POTENTIAL OF ORAL FLUID IN 15-YEAR-OLD ADOLESCENTS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ANXIETY
Authors: Danyltsiv L. O. , Rozhko M. M. 
Published: October 2022

Aim of the research. Study the features of microcrystallization of oral fluid in children; monitor the relationship between the level of anxiety, the type of microcrystallization and the mineralizing potential of children's oral fluid.

Materials and methods. 75 adolescents aged 15 years of Ivano-Frankivsk region, which belongs to the regions with iodine deficiency in the environment, were examined. Among the examined teenagers there were 25 people with low, medium and high levels of anxiety. The morphological type of microcrystallization was studied by the method of dehydration of a drop of oral fluid. Evaluation of the level of mineralizing potential of saliva was carried out on a 5-point scale, taking into account the nature of crystal formation in three fields of vision, and the average value was calculated. The assessment of the psycho-emotional state was carried out on the basis of the results of questionnaires of children using the "Scale for assessing the level of reactive and personal anxiety" by Ch.D. Spielberger and Y.L. Khanina (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI).

Results. The study of the crystallographic pattern of oral fluid of adolescents revealed the predominance of type II crystals (44.00±5.73% of cases). Crystals of the most favorable type I occurred in 30.67±5.32% of cases, and crystals of type III, the most unfavorable in prognostic relation to the occurrence of dental caries, occurred in 25.33±5.02% of cases. We have studied the type of oral fluid crystals in children, taking into account the level of anxiety. In the mixed saliva of children with a low level of anxiety, type I crystal formation predominated (52.00±9.99%). Crystal formation according to the second type was recorded in 40.00±9.80%, and according to the III type - in 8.00±5.43% of cases. In children with an average level of anxiety, the number of cases of observation of type II crystals did not change (40.00±9.80%). In addition, a 1.3-fold decrease in the specific gravity of type I crystals was noted from 52.00±9.99% to 40.00±9.80%, p˃0.05, resulting in 20.00±8.00 % of cases, type III crystals occurred in the oral fluid. In children with a high level of anxiety, the specific weight of type II crystals increased from 40.00±9.80% to 52.00±9.99%, p˃0.05, and the specific weight of type III crystals increased from 20.00±8.00 % to 48.00±9.99%, p<0.05. On the other hand, not a single case of crystal formation according to type I was recorded. In this group of children, extremely unfavorable type III crystals dominated in the oral fluid. The evaluation of the mineralizing potential of saliva revealed that its average value was 2.48±0.12 points. This testified to the satisfactory level of this indicator. We investigated the mineralizing potential of oral fluid in children, taking into account the level of anxiety. Among adolescents with a low level of anxiety, the MPS was rated as satisfactory, and the average value was the highest (3.04±0.16 points). In children with an average level of anxiety, the MPS was also satisfactory, but the average value was slightly lower - 2.76±0.21 points (р˃0.05). In adolescents with a high level of anxiety, the MPS had the lowest value (1.64±0.14 points), which was interpreted as low (р˂0.05). It was found that with an increase in the level of anxiety, there was a tendency to a decrease in the specific gravity of type I crystals, an increase in the specific gravity of type III crystals, and a decrease in the mineralizing potential of mixed saliva. The lowest indicators of mineralizing potential were at a high level of anxiety.

Conclusions. Analysis of the morphological picture of mixed saliva in children with different psycho-emotional states showed that adolescents with a high level of anxiety in the oral fluid are predominantly type III crystals, and the mineralizing potential is low. Reduced mineralizing properties of oral fluid lead to demineralization with subsequent progression of the carious process. Therefore, there is a need for differential prevention measures for children with different psycho-emotional states.