Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 26, 2025

Collecting Saliva and Measuring Salivary Cortisol and Alpha-amylase in Frail Community Residing Older Adults via Family Caregivers
Published on: December 18, 2013
Salivary Content Might be Associated With Skeletal Status in Postmenopausal Women: SilesiaOsteoActive Study Results
Elżbieta Tabor1, Hanna Hűpsch2, Joanna Rokicka3
1Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Diabetology and Nephrology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
Aim:
The aim of the study was to investigate whether salivary mineral content may be associated with bone status in women after menopause.
Material And Methods:
The study group consisted of 125 postmenopausal women aged 64.3 ± 6.9 yr, derived from the epidemiological SilesiaOsteoActive Study. All participants underwent hip and spine bone densitometry using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, dental examination, and saliva content analysis. Data for salivary pH, copper, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc concentrations were evaluated.
Results:
Mean femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) was 0.739 ± 0.118 g/cm2, total hip BMD 0.891 ± 0.14 g/cm2, and spine BMD 0.868 ± 0.14 g/cm2. Salivary pH was significantly lower in women with spinal osteoporosis defined as T-score below -2.5, compared to individuals with normal BMD (pH: 6.65 ± 0.67 vs 6.96 ± 0.58, p < 0.05). There was a significant though weak inverse correlation between Ca concentration in saliva and femoral neck BMD (r = -0.23, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
High salivary calcium content and low salivary pH may be indicative of low hip and decreased spine BMD, respectively. These associations may reflect demineralization process (calcium redistribution) influencing bone, and a negative effect of acidity on mineral tissues, although causal pathway remains not clear.
More Related Videos
08:37Sampling Human Indigenous Saliva Peptidome Using a Lollipop-Like Ultrafiltration Probe: Simplify and Enhance Peptide Detection for Clinical Mass Spectrometry
Published on: August 7, 2012
05:26Author Spotlight: Oral Candida Diagnosis to Advance Clinical Treatment Regimen for pSS Patients
Published on: March 1, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling
Salivary Glands and Saliva
Bone Remodeling
Essential Minerals for Bone Health
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...