Análise bioquímica da saliva de pacientes com deficiência cognitiva e física como estratégia de aula prática de Bioquímica no curso de Odontologia

Given the importance of teaching biochemistry in dental surgeon training courses, the objective was to present a pedagogical strategy that enables the articulation of basic molecular concepts within the subject, allowing a better understanding of the complexity of oral and systemic diseases, through the biochemical analysis of saliva from patients with cognitive and physical disabilities at the Dental Assistance Center for Disabled  Persons (CAOE) of the School of Dentistry, Aracatuba - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP). For this purpose, groups of five students analyzed the saliva collected by a dental surgeon from CAOE. Immediately after collection, salivary flow, pH, and buffering capacity were determined. Subsequently, the saliva was centrifuged, fractionated, and stored at -20 °C until the time of biochemical analysis. During the practical classes, using commercial kits, the samples were tested for: total protein, α-amylase, alkaline phosphatase, uric acid, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, calcium, and phosphorus. At the end of the school year, students presented a report contextualizing the results with the patient's oral and systemic health. Tutoring sessions with monitors and teachers helped in the interpretation of the anamnesis form and the correlations of oral and systemic clinical parameters. For incoming students, this was the first opportunity to integrate theoretical knowledge with clinical perspectives. It is concluded that the adopted strategy is viable and can benefit educators who seek alternatives that allow the integration of basic and clinical sciences for teaching Biochemistry in Dentistry.