# Dental Calculus Deposition: Correlation With Salivary Statherin and Calcium Levels

## TL;DR

This study explores how salivary calcium and statherin levels relate to dental calculus formation in 90 participants.

## Contribution

The study provides empirical evidence on the correlation between salivary calcium and calculus formation, and evaluates statherin's role.

## Key findings

- Salivary calcium levels showed a strong positive correlation with dental calculus formation.
- Statherin levels exhibited a nonsignificant negative correlation with calculus index and calcium concentration.
- Participants with higher calculus index had significantly higher salivary calcium levels.

## Abstract

Salivary constituents have a wide range of functions, including oral calcium homeostasis. Salivary proteins, such as statherin inhibit the crystal growth of calcium phosphate in supersaturated solutions and interact with several oral bacteria to adsorb on hydroxyapatite. Concurrently, saliva, which is supersaturated with calcium phosphates, is the driving force for plaque mineralization and calculus formation. The present study has, thus, been carried out to correlate salivary statherin and calcium concentration with dental calculus formation.

The study comprised 90 participants (58 males and 32 females) aged 20–40 years. Participants were grouped according to the calculus index viz. Group I (control calculus index), Group II (low calculus index), and Group III (high calculus index). After collecting saliva, the salivary calcium and statherin levels were estimated for each participant, and the data were entered into a master chart.

The mean salivary statherin levels were found to be 1.305 ± SD 1.302, 0.986 ± SD 0.591, and 1.21 ± SD 0.473 in Groups I, II and III, respectively. The calcium levels increased from Group I to Group III (2.221, 5.067, and 10.072 mg/dL, respectively). Salivary calcium levels showed a significant positive correlation with the calculus index (0.639) (p < 0.001).

Salivary concentrations of calcium appear to play an essential role in the dental calculus formation. Salivary statherin exhibited a statistically nonsignificant, modest negative correlation with both calcium concentrations and the development of calculus.