THE CONDITION OF THE SALIVARY GLANDS AND THE RATE OF SECRETION OF THE ORAL FLUID IN CHILDREN WITH CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASES

Systemic connective tissue diseases are a group of diseases of autoimmune genesis, in which the most important structural component of almost all organs and tissues is affected. Often, along with systemic diseases of the connective tissue, one can find Sjogren's syndrome - damage to the lacrimal and salivary glands, characterized by the development of dry keratoconjunctiva and xerostomia. Disorders in the work of the salivary glands, in turn, can contribute to the development of multiple caries in the cervical region, abundant plaque on the teeth, inflammation of the oral mucosa and lips, a violation of the level of oral hygiene and the addition of a secondary infection. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of systemic connective tissue diseases on the work of the salivary glands and the subsequent development of diseases of the oral mucosa. We examined 100 children (79 girls, 21 boys) aged from 4 to 16 years with systemic diseases of the connective tissue, who were treated and examined at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics of the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University. Children were divided into groups according to age, main diagnosis, nature of the course and degree of activity of the underlying disease. The duration of the disease and side effects of drug therapy (drug Itsenko-Cushing's syndrome) were also taken into account. For the examination, the collection of complaints and anamnesis, clinical examination with palpation of the parotid salivary glands and measurement of the rate of secretion of stimulated and unstimulated saliva were carried out. Some children also managed to undergo orthopanthosialography. As a result, it was found that children with systemic connective tissue diseases in all groups are characterized by a decrease in the rate of saliva secretion and prolonged xerostomia with the development of characteristic diseases in the oral cavity. Xerostomia was especially pronounced in the group of children with the maximum degree of activity of the underlying disease and the duration of the disease for more than two years. On examination and palpation, signs of inflammatory diseases of the salivary glands were also revealed, such as soreness of varying degrees, an increase in size and the release of a scanty secretion from the duct.  It was not possible to identify the links between individual systemic diseases of the connective tissue and the severity of lesions of the salivary glands.

Keywords: connective tissue diseases, salivary glands, saliva, xerostomia, rheumatic diseases