Correlation of salivary biomarkers and dental caries in children exposed to passive smoking

Salivary antimicrobial peptides (AMP’s) play an important role in the local defence of oral cavity and expression of these are altered by various factors. Among them cigarette smoke has known to have detrimental effects on salivary immune defence mechanisms. The effect of passive smoking on salivary AMP’s and correlation to dental caries in children has not yet been reported. Thus, this study was aimed to assess the correlation between passive smoking and dental caries in exposed and unexposed children. A randomized cross-sectional study was designed & Self-reported questionnaire was filled by the parents of the participants to obtain the data. Participants were divided into passive exposed (PE) and unexposed (UE) group based on exposure parameters. Clinical examination was performed and DMFS were marked for each subject. Unstimulated saliva was collected for 1 min and SFR was measured by analysing saliva in the graduated tubes after which the saliva was subjected for analysis of salivary cotinine and LL-37 concentration through ELISA kit. The mean DMFS and Salivary cotinine levels were elevated in Passive smoking exposed individuals, showing a positive correlation between DMFS and Salivary cotinine levels to passive smoking, but, the mean salivary LL-37 levels were reduced in passive smoking exposed individuals, showing a negative correlation between Salivary LL-37 levels to passive smoking. There was also a dose-dependent relationship between caries experience and smoking exposure. Reduction of passive smoking is important not only for the prevention of various systemic ill-effects, but also for the promotion of health.