## 4 Discussion  
Saliva is a dynamic fluid that reflects oral and systemic health. This investigation aimed to compare the salivary flow rate; salivary pH; levels of amylase, mucin, and total protein concentration; and periodontal parameters in T2 DM and HTN patients with healthy controls. Significant differences were observed in salivary mucin, amylase, total protein, and periodontal parameters in T2 DM and HTN patients. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. Reduced SFR is associated with multiple systemic disorders, including T2 DM. It has been reported that persistent hyperglycemia adversely affects the function of salivary glands, causing a reduction in the production of saliva [37]. This was further confirmed in this study, as the SFR of diabetic subjects was significantly lower than the flow rates of healthy and HTN subjects. The findings of this study are similar to the findings of previous studies which assessed SFR in diabetics [38]. Medication has also been reported to affect SFR and pH. In the present study, it was observed that the use of hypoglycemic drugs had significantly reduced the UWSFR and the salivary pH. These findings are contradictory to the study conducted by [PERSON] et al., reporting that hypoglycemic drugs do not produce any significant effect on the SFR and TPL [39]. The levels of mucin in subjects using antihypertensive medicines were significantly raised when compared to other groups. However, levels of amylase were reduced in T2 DM patients when compared to the healthy controls. The mucin levels of subjects using hypoglycemic drugs were slightly raised in comparison to healthy subjects. The TPL was significantly raised in subjects taking hypoglycemic drugs. Literature related to the influence of hypoglycemic drugs on SFR and salivary composition is limited. HTN and antihypertensive medicines have also been associated with a decreased SFR [40]. In this study, the reduced SFR was also associated with hypertension, and a significant reduction was observed in subjects using anti-hypertensive drugs. Similar findings were observed in the studies conducted by [PERSON] et al. [41]. [PERSON] et al. also reported that SFR and pH of saliva are significantly affected in hypertensive patients [42]. Decreased salivary flow rate causes hyposalivation, which increases the acidity of saliva [43]. As the quantity and pH of saliva is reduced, the saliva turns viscous and adversely affects the oral health and quality of life of the patients [44]. These findings are in agreement with the studies conducted by [PERSON] et al. [45] and [PERSON] et al. [46], who reported that reduction in SFR is associated with a compromise in the buffering capacity of saliva, which is associated with inflammation of the oral cavity, rampant caries, and difficulty in swallowing. It is important to educate such patients about oral care to prevent the negative impacts of these diseases on the oral cavity. The negative impact of hyposalivation and acidic pH was confirmed in this study by further investigations of the periodontal perimeters. The periodontal inflammatory parameters significantly differed from the healthy group in both diabetics and hypertensives. Diabetes is a risk factor for periodontitis [47]. BOP and chronic periodontitis are associated with hypertension according to many studies, and this was further confirmed in the results