title: [The investigation on nitric oxide levels in saliva and their relationship with the severity of periodontitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study nitric oxide levels in saliva of patients with periodontitis and the relationship between nitric oxide levels and the severity of periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of saliva from 23 adult subjects with periodontitis and 27 healthy control subjects were collected at their first appointment. Data of gingival bleeding index (GBI), pocket depth (PD) and attachment level (AL) were recorded. Salivary nitrite was detected with Greiss method, which stood for the content of nitric oxide (NO).
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that NO in saliva of patients with periodontitis were significantly higher than that in saliva of healthy individuals (P < 0.01). The levels of NO were 55.361 +/- 13.319 mumol/L and 28.806 +/- 6.604 microns/L in saliva with periodontitis and control respectively. Significant relationship was found between AL and salivary NO level (P < 0.02) and between PD and salivary NO level (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The change of salivary NO level is related with periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Medical University.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000473:pathology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide