Children who received the COVID-19 vaccine are at greater risk of tooth decay and cavities due to lower salivary secretion rates, according to a study from Saudi Arabia.
The study, published in the International Journal of General Medicine compared the saliva of children between the ages of 4 and 12 who received the COVID-19 vaccine with those who were not inoculated.
“The flow of saliva and its buffering capacity are vital factors that play a substantial role in maintaining oral health,” the researchers explained. “The salivary buffer systems play a critical role in maintaining the appropriate acid-base balance relatively stable pH level.”
According to the study’s findings, there was a “significantly higher salivary secretion rate in unvaccinated than vaccinated study participants.”
“It can be speculative that the reduced salivary secretion and resulting dry mouth could be adverse oral effects of COVID-19 vaccination,” the study adds.
“The findings of this study may potentially have significant implications for the oral health of children,” the authors noted, “as the significant decrease in salivary secretion rate, pH and buffering capacity may further escalate the prevalence and severity of dental caries in this population.”
American Faith reported that childhood vaccine exemptions are at a record high.
“During the 2022–23 school year, coverage remained near 93% for all reported vaccines, ranging from 92.7% for DTaP to 93.1% for measles, mumps, and rubella and polio,” the CDC wrote in a November report. “The exemption rate increased 0.4 percentage points to 3.0%. Exemptions increased in 41 states, exceeding 5% in 10 states.”
The increase of vaccine exemptions comes as parents said they will not have their children receive the latest COVID-19 vaccine.
Only 13% of parents with children between the ages of 12 to 17 and 6 months to 4 years said their children will be vaccinated, according to a poll.
Twelve percent of parents with children between the ages of 5 to 11 reported the same.
