The Risk of Night Shift Workers to the Glucose Blood Levels, Saliva, and Dental Caries.

Objective: This study aimed to provide the correlation of circadian rhythms of night shift workers with blood glucose levels, saliva, and dental caries.

Materials And Methods: This study was conducted on night shift and nonshift workers to measure fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2-PP BG), saliva flow rate, pH saliva, and caries with the decay-missing-filled total (DMF-T) index. Data analysis was done using independent -test and correlation test with Pearson correlation.

Results: There were significant differences in night shift and nonshift workers in FBG ( = 0.000), 2-PP BG ( = 0.000), flow rate saliva ( = 0.000), and DMF-T index ( = 0.001). Correlation test showed positive correlation between FBG and pH saliva ( = 0.42, = 0.029) and DMF-T index ( = 0.521, = 0.005) of night shift workers. The 2-PP BG also showed positive correlation with pH saliva ( = 0.493, = 0.009) and DMF-T index ( = 0.743, = 0.000). The DMF-T index showed negative correlation with flow rate saliva ( = -0.398, = 0.04). In the nonshift workers, correlation test showed a correlation between FBG and DMF-T index ( = 0.384, = 0.048). The DMF-T index showed correlation with flow rate saliva ( = 0.6, = 0.001).

Conclusion: There is a circadian rhythm correlation between night shift workers to blood glucose levels, flow rate saliva, pH saliva, and dental caries.