Life style and risk of development of dental caries in a population of adolescents.

INTRODUCTION Oxygen is an essential element for sustaining the life of aerobes; however, in certain conditions it may be toxic for these organisms. This is due to so-called reactive oxygen species - ROS. Factors which cause the production of free radicals include ionizing radiation, UV radiation, high temperature, and hazardous substances, such as phenols, carbon monoxide, e.g. in smokers, also air pollution and drugs. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was analysis of the total antioxidant status (TAS) in stimulated and unstimulated saliva, according to the number of active carious lesions in generally healthy non-smokers aged 15-17. MATERIALS AND METHOD The study covered 113 adolescents aged 15-17 in whom the state of dentition was evaluated using the DMFT (Decayed-Missing-Filled) index, and oral hygiene assessed based on the OHI-S (Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified) index. TAS in saliva was determined by means of a Randox Labolatories Ltd. test kit, by the spectrophotometric method. RESULTS Based on the results of the study, it was found that in the population examined an increase in the number of carious lesions was accompanied by a significant decrease in the TAS, both in stimulated and unstimulated saliva. CONCLUSIONS. A health-promoting life style, maintenance of basic principles of oral hygiene and care of general health through the elimination of harmful habits decrease the risk of dental caries.