STATUS OF OXIDANT-ANTIOXIDANT HOMEOSTASIS OF ORAL FLUID IN PATIENTS WITH GENERALIZED PАRODONTAL DISEASES IN EATING DISORDERS

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare the state of oral health and the antioxidant system of saliva in patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN) and healthy people from the control group. The study included 25 female patients with AN and 25 healthy patients from the control group. Clinical parameters and saliva samples were collected from each patient. Two questionnaires were administered to study oral health and hygiene. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and high levels of reactive oxygen species (hROS) were assessed. The concentration of SOD in saliva was significantly higher in patients with AN compared to the control group (1.010±0.462 vs. 0.579±0.296 U/ml; p=0.0003). There were no significant differences between groups in hROS (233.72±88.27 vs. 199.49±74.72; p=0.15). The questionnaire data showed that although most patients recognized the importance of oral hygiene for maintaining good oral health, more than half of them had poor oral hygiene. The altered biochemical composition of saliva in patients with AN can be interpreted as an effective mechanism of protection against oxidative stress. Moreover, despite the discrepancy between clinical data and perceptions of oral health in the AN patient population, the quality of life of these patients does not appear to be significantly affected by the condition of their teeth.