Investigation of the relationship between saliva ph and dental and gingival diseases in cats

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the dental and gingival diseases in cats brought to Aydın Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Animal Hospital and surrounding clinics through the inspection method. Saliva samples were collected using a sterile pipette, and saliva pH values were recorded with a pH meter. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between oral, dental, and gingival diseases observed in cats and their saliva pH. Materials and Methods: The study material consisted of 327 cats (n=327) brought to Aydın Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Animal Hospital and surrounding clinics for various reasons (such as vaccination, surgery, examination). The cats belonged to different breeds (Ankara, British Shorthair, Himalayan, Iranian, Maine Coon, Mixed Breed, Scottish Fold, Siamese) and genders (174 males, 153 females), with ages ranging from 1 month to 156 months. For the study, a diverse group of cats was selected to represent different breeds, genders, and ages. A structured form was prepared for the study, including information about the owners, answers to descriptive questions about the patients, clinical findings, and records of diagnosed oral, dental, and gingival diseases based on clinical examinations. No sedation or anesthesia was administered to the cats for the purpose of this thesis. However, if the reason for bringing the cats to the clinic required sedation and/or anesthesia, oral and dental examinations were conducted under sedation and/or anesthesia. During the examination of the mouth and teeth, the mouth was first opened, and mucosal examination was performed. Subsequently, clinical examinations of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars were conducted, starting from the incisors. The diagnosed diseases were recorded in the boxes next to the tooth numbers on the form. Afterward, saliva samples were collected from the buccal surface behind the molars and the sublingual region of each cat's molars. The pH values of these saliva samples were determined by dripping them into the chamber of the pH meter device (Horiba Laquatwin®pH-22) and marked on the respective cat's form. Results: In the presented thesis, a total of 327 cats belonging to 9 different breeds, including 174 males and 153 females, were included. The cats were categorized into age groups: kittens (n=61), young (n=149), adult (n=97), and elderly (n=20), and they were examined. It was determined that dry food consumption (n=191) was more preferred compared to mixed food (n=136). Cats consuming tap water (n=183) were found to be more than those consuming fountain water (n=144). In the study, the most commonly diagnosed conditions in cats were gingivitis (n=620), periodontitis (n=230), plaque formation (n=173), calculus (n=84), and tooth wear (n=36), totaling 1143 disease diagnoses. Diseases were found to increase with age. Notably, halitosis and difficulty eating were observed as clinical symptoms in cats with diagnosed diseases. Halitosis was more prevalent than expected in all diseases, while difficulty eating was higher than expected in all diseases except stomatitis. Tooth wear (n=17) and plaque formation (n=89) were predominantly found in canine teeth, gingivitis (n=268) in premolar teeth, and calculus (n=41) and periodontitis (n=117) in molars. Salivary pH averages were lower in male kitten cats. No significant difference was found between male and female cats' salivary pH. When salivary pH was examined based on the patients' diet, no significant difference was observed. Salivary pH was lower in elderly male cats consuming dry food compared to those consuming mixed food. Salivary pH was higher in elderly male cats consuming mixed food. It was determined that the water consumed by older cats might have a greater impact on their salivary pH values. Salivary pH in adult cats consuming tap water was higher than in those consuming fountain water. When considering all included cats, those subjected to sedation and/or anesthesia had lower salivary pH values compared to those who were not subjected to these procedures. No significant difference was found in salivary pH values between cats with and without diseases. In the presented thesis, it was found that male kitten cats had lower salivary pH values compared to male young and male elderly cats. In the presence of diseases, the salivary pH of male kitten cats was lower compared to other age groups, while male young cats had higher salivary pH values than their disease-free counterparts. There was a low level of concordance between cat owners' responses regarding the oral, dental, and gingival health of cats and clinical findings. Results: Salivary pH was found to be low in cats undergoing sedation and/or anesthesia. There was no significant difference in salivary pH between genders. There was no difference in salivary pH between cats with diagnosed diseases and healthy cats. Cats diagnosed with calculus had higher salivary pH values. Keywords: Cat, Oral, Teeth, Gums, Saliva, pH