This investigation shows that IL-1β, MMP-8 and the ratio of MMP-8/TIMP-1 could be used as markers of periodontal disease in larger patient populations.

Background and ObjectiveAnalysis of inflammatory biomarkers in saliva could offer an attractive opportunity for the diagnosis of different systemic conditions specifically in epidemiological surveys. The aim of this study was to investigate if certain salivary biomarkers could be used for detection of common systemic diseases.Materials and MethodsA randomly selected sample of 1000 adults living in Skåne, a county in the southern part of Sweden, was invited to participate in a clinical study of oral health. 451 individuals were enrolled in this investigation, 51% women. All participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire, history was taken, a clinical examination was made and stimulated saliva samples were collected. Salivary concentrations of IL-1β, -6, -8, TNF-α, lysozyme, MMP-8 and TIMP-1 were determined using ELISA, IFMA or Luminex assays.ResultsSalivary IL-8 concentration was found to be twice as high in subjects who had experience of tumour diseases. In addition, IL-8 levels were also elevated in patients with bowel disease. MMP-8 levels were elevated in saliva from patients after cardiac surgery or suffering from diabetes, and muscle and joint diseases. The levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and MMP-8, as well as the MMP-8/TIMP-1 ratio were higher in subjects with muscle and joint diseases.ConclusionBiomarkers in saliva have the potential to be used for screening purposes in epidemiological studies. The relatively unspecific inflammatory markers used in this study can not be used for diagnosis of specific diseases but can be seen as markers for increased systemic inflammation.

The BL+ individuals experienced reduced quality of life, expressed as the OHIP-14 score, compared with the BL and BL- participants.

The oral health in the adult population of Skåne was overall good, with low frequencies of oral disease and a large number of remaining teeth up to a high age. The patients' oral health status, as determined by a dentist's clinical examination, differed due to age, educational level and ethnicity, but not due to gender.

The prevalence of TMD pain in the adult population in southern Sweden was 11%. Factors related to TMD pain were female gender, age < 50 years, headaches, self-reported poor general health, high scores on the OHIP-14, and tooth wear. Age was the only factor that showed a significant difference between genders for TMD pain.