الفهرس 
AcknowledgementOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 105 |  |  |
| | | from | 105 | | |
Abstract
Objectives: to assess quantitatively the levels of S-IgA in a group of children with ECC and caries-free children, as well as in their mothers, correlate the levels of children’s S-IgA to their dmft index as well as to their mother’s levels and to correlate dmft index of the children with diet history analysis.
Methods: A total of forty children and their mothers (total of eighty subjects) were selected from those attended the Outpatient Clinic of the Pediatric Dentistry Department in Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Cairo University. The children were divided into two groups: A study group containing children with ECC and their mothers and a control group containing caries-free children. The study group children showed ECC with dmft ≥ 5, while the control group children were caries free with dmft = 0. Unstimulated saliva was collected from each participant (child and mother), then the S-IgA levels in saliva were measured by ELISA test.
Results: The levels of S-IgA in children with ECC are significantly higher than those of caries-free children. The levels of S-IgA in the mothers of children with ECC are significantly higher than those of the mothers of caries-free children. A positive high correlation was found between S-IgA of mothers and children in both the ECC and caries-free groups.
Conclusion: There is a correlation between S-IgA and dental caries. S-IgA is at the first line of defense. However, when the load of microorganisms is high, more S-IgA production is not able to prevent the disease. There is a significant positive correlation between S-IgA of the mothers and their children in ECC and caries-free groups.