The pH of stimulated and resting saliva in different morphologic forms of the tongue surface in a young population.

Salivary condition and its correlation to tongue morphology was studied in 149 dental students. The students were divided according to the morphologic form of the tongue. The salivary pH and the buffer capacity of resting and stimulated saliva were determined. The pH values in the resting saliva of the fissured tongue group were more alkaline than those in the control group. The difference in pH values of stimulated saliva in the fissured tongue and control groups was only indicative. The stimulated saliva values of the normal tongue and the geographic tongue groups were similar. The pH valves of resting saliva in the geographic tongue group were more acidic than those in the normal tongue group. The salivary pH values of the filiform atrophy group were more acidic than those of the control group: resting salivar highly significantly and stimulated saliva significantly. The pH values of the hairy tongue group were also more acidic than those of the control group: both resting saliva and stimulated saliva highly significantly. No differences were observed in salivary buffer capacity, although buffer capacity in the hairy tongue group seemed to be lower than in the other groups.