[Evaluation of saliva antioxidant activity for determining the state of dentition and oral hygiene in a group of young athletes].

At a basis of many pathologic reactions lie disturbances in balance between production of free radicals and antioxidant organism capability. In our study we evaluate antioxidant capability of saliva, as a Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP). 74 pupils selected from active swimmer class (age 11.48 +/- 0.48) were included into our study. Children examination consisted of evaluation of oral cavity Approximated Plate Index (API), tooth decay index (PUW) and %PUW (PUW as a fraction of all evaluated teeth). The average FRAP was 0.55 +/- 0.11 mmol/l. Value of 0.44 was selected as a lower normal limit. 20% of children (group I) were below that value, while the rest 80% (group II) achieved values above this limit. Both groups had API Index values below 25%, which comply as an optimum hygiene of oral cavity. We also observed greater PUW values in group I when compared to group II (4.2 vs 2.8 respectively), and greater %PUW (16.69 vs. 12.75). Decreased values of FRAP indicated convergence with worse status of oral cavity. Significant novelty of our study is correlation between oral cavity status and FRAP, which until now was only used for determination of antioxidant capability of blood plasma.