Estimation of Levels of Salivary Mucins MUC5B, MUC7 in Subjects with Dental Caries: A Case-control Study

Introduction: Dental caries is a chronic, biofilm-mediated disease that results in the loss of tooth structure. It is considered multifactorial, and one of the contributing factors is mucin. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate whether there is a correlation between the levels of salivary mucins MUC5B and MUC7 and dental caries. Aim: To estimate the levels of salivary mucins MUC5B and MUC7 in subjects with dental caries. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted at Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, over a period of three months (July 2022 - September 2022). Matching based on age in a ratio of 1:1 was performed, and approximately 66 samples were collected from participants aged 18 to 25 years. Of these, 33 saliva samples were collected from participants with a Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index of over 10, forming the experimental group. Another 33 saliva samples were collected from participants with a DMFT index of less than 3, serving as the control group. The levels of MUC5B and MUC7 were assessed among both groups, and means and standard deviations were calculated. An independent sample t-test was utilised to determine whether the difference between the means of the two groups was statistically significant at a 95% confidence interval. Results: The mean concentration of MUC5B in the experimental group (24.34±9.16 µg/L) was higher than in the control group (9.39±10.44 µg/L), demonstrating a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). There was also a significant statistical difference (p<0.05) in the levels of MUC7, which were higher in the experimental group (10.27±3.21 µg/L) compared to the control group (4.81±3.96 µg/L). Conclusion: The study showed that the levels of both salivary mucins were elevated in participants with high caries. The demand for restorative treatment in developing countries exceeds the available resources. Thus, mucin levels can serve as an indicator of caries susceptibility.