Does Cytokine in Saliva Indicate Gum Inflammation?

Periodontal disease is a chronic, complex inflammatory condition leading to local inflammation . According to a study published in PLOS ONE, a single score can describe the level of salivary cytokines and is linked to the severity of clinical gum inflammation. Researchers from the NYU College of Dentistry evaluated 67 adults (≥45 years) with a certain degree of periodontal disease to measure the inflammation. They used a formula called the Periodontal Inflamed Surface Area (PISA), which is calculated using measurements of the depth of pockets in  gums and bleeding on probing.

The PISA scores were found to be significantly associated with salivary cytokine constructs independent of age, gender, and BMI, proving that scores of salivary cytokines are correlated with the severity of clinical periodontal inflammation (p≤0.001). A higher PISA score exhibits worse inflammation. The PISA score…