Concentrations of salivary antimicrobial factors are well documented in
children and young adults, but little information is available on such
defense factors in healthy elderly persons. We determined the levels of
total IgA, total IgG, lysozyme, lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, salivary
peroxidase, amylase, sialic acid, and total protein in a group of 71
subjects aged 76, 81, and 86 yr, as well as their correlations to
paraffin-wax-stimulated salivary flow rate. Participants were either
unmedicated (n = 67) or using medicines with no oral significance (n =
4). Statistically significant negative correlations existed between flow
rate and total IgA, lysozyme, lactoferrin, sialic acid, and total
protein. Concentrations of sialic acid and salivary peroxidase were
highest in the oldest age group. Total IgA concentration was higher in
women than in men, although men showed higher concentrations of sialic
acid and higher sialic acid/total protein ratios. Subjects with poor
gingival health had higher concentrations of total protein than did
those with no need for periodontal treatment. Edentulous subjects with
complete dentures showed significantly lower concentrations of IgG,
lactoferrin, and myeloperoxidase than did dentate subjects. Our results
suggest that, when compared with data from previous studies,
concentrations of salivary antimicrobial agents do not decline with age
in unmedicated elderly people. However, defense factors which are
derived also from gingival crevicular fluid are decreased in the absence
of teeth