Relationship between salivary melatonin and severity of periodontal disease.
BACKGROUND
Melatonin possesses antioxidant, free-radical scavenging, and immunoenhancing properties that promote fibroblast activity and bone regeneration. The aim of this study was to examine the possible links between salivary melatonin levels and the severity of periodontal disease using the community periodontal index (CPI).


METHODS
Thirty-seven patients with different degrees of periodontal disease were studied. Salivary and plasma melatonin levels (by radioimmunoassay), salivary/plasma melatonin ratio, and CPI status were collected for each patient. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to analyze relationships among variables.


RESULTS
Data showed a significant correlation between CPI and salivary/plasma melatonin ratios. When saliva volume was controlled for, a significant correlation (P<0.05) was found between lower salivary melatonin and a worse CPI. This finding suggests that melatonin may act as a protector against free radicals produced by inflammatory periodontal diseases.


CONCLUSIONS
Salivary melatonin levels varied according to the degree of periodontal disease. As the degree of periodontal disease increased, the salivary melatonin level decreased, indicating that melatonin may act to protect the body from external bacterial insults. Therefore, melatonin may be potentially valuable in the treatment of periodontal diseases, although further research is required to validate this hypothesis.
Cutando
Antonio
A
Department of Special Care in Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Galindo
Pablo
P
Gómez-Moreno
Gerardo
G
Arana
Carlos
C
Bolaños
Jorge
J
Acuña-Castroviejo
Darío
D
Wang
Hom-Lay
HL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D008550:Melatonin