Gingival status and prophylactic oral hygiene measures modulate salivary amino acids’ profile in children with plaque-induced gingivitis

Abstract Objectives Plaque-induced gingivitis is one of the most widely distributed periodontal disorder during childhood. The control of the pathogenic potential of the plaque is associated with oral hygiene status at individual, group, and population levels. We hypothesize that regular application of complex oral hygiene-prophylaxis could beneficially modulate salivary amino acids profile in children with different stage of plaque-induced gingivitis. Therefore, we aimed to study the salivary amino acids’ profile in relation to certain clinical indicators and environmental variables for plaque-induced gingivitis in children. Methods Fifty children (29 girls, 21 boys; mean age 8.18 ± 2.32 years) without anamnestic data for common diseases, no medication, and no data for allergy were selected. Plaque and gingival indexes were determined for assessment oral hygiene and plaque accumulation. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected, centrifuged and supernatants stored at −80 °C. Amino acid analysis was performed by liquid chromatography using analytical grade AccQ·Tag-Ultra-derivatization kit. Results Gingivitis was indicated in most of the examined children over 6 years. More than half (63.6 %) of them revealed moderate stage of the disease and a tendency to satisfactory good oral hygiene and degree of gingival inflammation. Salivary glycine, proline, arginine, serine, lysine, aspartate, glutamate, threonine, methionine, and isoleucine were higher in gingivitis children, while cysteine, tyrosine and phenylalanine decrease. In gingivitis children without regular oral hygiene-prophylaxis, some structural amino acids like glycine and proline were increased, while amino acids with protective antioxidant potential like cysteine were diminished. Conclusions Plaque-induced gingivitis is associated with increased salivary levels of certain amino acids. These may serve as distinguishing markers among children with gingivitis.