The Role of Salivary Flow Rate and pH in Oral Candidiasis among Menopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Aims: Menopause is a natural biological process that affects oral health, particularly salivary flow rate and pH, which may predispose women to oral candidiasis. This study aimed to evaluate the association between salivary flow rate, pH, and the incidence and types of oral candidiasis in menopausal women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Helvetia Community Health Center, Medan, involving 117 menopausal women selected purposively according to the inclusion criteria: cessation of menstruation for 12 consecutive months, absence of chronic systemic diseases, non-denture users, and willingness to participate. Unstimulated saliva was collected using the spitting method, and salivary pH was measured with universal pH paper. Oral candidiasis was clinically diagnosed and categorized by type. The associations between salivary flow rate, pH, and both the incidence and types of oral candidiasis were analyzed using the chi-square test. Results: Salivary flow rate and pH were significantly associated with the incidence of oral candidiasis ( P = 0.006; P < 0.05) and ( P = 0.026; P < 0.05), respectively. However, no significant association was observed between either salivary flow rate ( P = 0.993; P > 0.05) or salivary pH ( P = 0.978; P > 0.05) with the type of oral candidiasis. Conclusion: The incidence of oral candidiasis in menopausal women is significantly correlated with reduced salivary flow rate and altered salivary pH. However, these salivary parameters do not appear to influence the clinical types of oral candidiasis.