**7. Clinical considerations**

	- Etiology

Carious lesions are produced due to the exposure of salivary glands and reduced flow of saliva, decreased pH, decreased buffering capacity, and increased viscosity.

• Signs

Superficial lesions attack the buccal, occlusal, incisal, and lingual surfaces. It includes cementum and dentin in cervical lesions. Lesions progress around the teeth circumferentially and resulting in loss of the crown.

	- Features include dry mouth and dry eyes due to hypofunction of lacrimal and salivary glands. Most patients are treated symptomatically; ocular lubricants and salivary substitutes are given.
	- Etiology
		- Sjogren's syndrome
		- Therapeutic radiation of head and neck
		- Surgical removal of salivary glands
		- Diabetes mellitus

**c.** Histatin proteins with antibacterial property.

presence of peptides and proteins present in saliva.

entially and resulting in loss of the crown.

○ Therapeutic radiation of head and neck

○ Surgical removal of salivary glands

resistance of enamel to caries.

**7. Clinical considerations**

[1, 2, 11]. • Etiology

74 Histology

• Signs

stitutes are given.

○ Sjogren's syndrome

○ Diabetes mellitus

by many factors.

• Etiology

**d.** Immunoglobulin, i.e., secretory IgA, clumps or agglutinates microorganisms.

• **Maintenance of tooth integrity:** Saliva is saturated with calcium and phosphate ions, and interaction with saliva results in postoperative maturation through diffusion of such ions. This maturation increases surface hardness, decreases permeability, and increases the

• **Tissue repair:** The rate of wound contraction is significantly increased in saliva due to the

**a. Radiation caries:** Radiation caries is a rampant form of dental decay that may occur in individuals who receive a course of radiotherapy that include exposure of salivary glands

Carious lesions are produced due to the exposure of salivary glands and reduced flow of

Superficial lesions attack the buccal, occlusal, incisal, and lingual surfaces. It includes cementum and dentin in cervical lesions. Lesions progress around the teeth circumfer-

**b.** Sjogren's syndrome: It consists of keratoconjunctivitis, xerostomia, and rheumatoid

• Features include dry mouth and dry eyes due to hypofunction of lacrimal and salivary glands. Most patients are treated symptomatically; ocular lubricants and salivary sub-

**c.** Xerostomia (dry mouth): It is defined as a subjective complaint of dry mouth that may result from a decrease in the production of saliva. It is not a disease but a symptom caused

arthritis. The cause of the disease can be genetic, autoimmunological, etc.

saliva, decreased pH, decreased buffering capacity, and increased viscosity.

	- Saliva pool disappears
	- Mucosa becomes dry
	- Tongue shows glossitis and fissured with papilla atrophy
	- Angular cheilitis
	- Rampant caries at the cervical or cusp tip
	- Periodontitis
	- Candidiasis
