title: Relationship between salivary antioxidant capacity and phases of the menstrual cycle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Reactive oxygen species and free radicals are involved in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Previous studies have shown that the stage of the menstrual cycle is associated with the levels of gingival inflammation and discomfort. This study examined changes in salivary antioxidant activities, clinical parameters and bacterial levels during the menstrual cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 16 women with periodontitis and 12 healthy women. Clinical and bacterial measurements were performed for all subjects during the ovulatory and follicular phases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Salivary antioxidant activity during the ovulatory phase was significantly lower than during the follicular phase in the women with periodontitis. The antioxidant activity in all subjects during the ovulatory phase was negatively correlated with Prevotella intermedia (r = -0.430; p = 0.023) and total bacterial counts (r = -0.496; p = 0.007); however, these correlations were not significant for subjects in the follicular phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that salivary antioxidant capacity decreased, while bleeding on probing and P. intermedia increased, over the course of the menstrual cycle in women with periodontitis. Antioxidant capacity could be involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Dental Hygienist Section, Nihon University School of Dentistry Dental Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. imanaga@dent.nihon-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sugano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motohashi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058491:Bacterial Load; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000378:metabolism; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000378:metabolism; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species