BACKGROUND:

Children with Down`s Syndrome (DS) have morphogenetic characteristics predisposing to oral diseases. It is also important to consider that the analysis of the characteristics of saliva are a diagnostic tool for appraisal oral health.

OBJECTIVES:

a) To compare the average values of salivary pH and salivary flow rate (SFR) by gender and age. b) To compare the type of salivary pH and SFR by gender and age. c) To determine whether there was a correlation between the salivary pH and the SFR.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

In 100 patients with DS (M = 50, F = 50) from 0 to 18 years of age, belonging to special education institutions of Yucatan, salivary pH was measured by a portable digital pH meter ATS®; SFR was obtained by the technique of heavy cotton Strongin, Hinsie and Peck.

RESULTS:

Statistically significant differences were found among the types of pH according to age (X2 = 27,333; p < 0.001), as well as among the average values of the SHP according to gender (t = 2.125, p = 0.036).

CONCLUSION:

The values of the salivary pH and salivary flow should be considered as oral health indicators in patients with DS.