Salivary pH and Caries Risk in Relation to Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Among Secondary School Students in Gombe State, North East Nigeria

Background: Rising consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among Nigerian adolescents is associated with acidification of the oral environment, predisposing individuals to dental caries. Salivary pH is a readily measurable physiological indicator of oral acid-base balance and caries susceptibility. Locally relevant data from North East states including Gombe are scarce. Objectives: This study aims to measure resting salivary pH and to assess the relationship between frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and dental caries risk indicators among secondary school students in Gombe State. Methods: Two hundred students aged 12 to 18 years will be recruited from four secondary schools. Unstimulated saliva will be collected and pH measured using a calibrated digital pH meter. A validated beverage consumption frequency questionnaire will document intake patterns. Oral health status will be assessed by a trained nurse using a simplified WHO oral health survey. Pearson correlation and regression analysis will be applied. Expected Outcomes: Students with high sugar-sweetened beverage consumption frequencies are anticipated to exhibit significantly lower salivary pH values and higher caries rates compared to low-consumption peers. Conclusion: Outcomes will support school-based oral health and dietary education programmes in North East Nigeria. Keywords: salivary pH, dental caries, sugar-sweetened beverages, adolescents, Gombe.