title: Association of dental caries and salivary sIgA with tobacco smoking.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Salivary secretory IgA (sIgA) is said to play an important role in the immune response against dental caries. This study aimed to determine the salivary sIgA levels in healthy smokers and non-smokers, and its correlation with dental caries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 70 healthy subjects were selected and classified into four groups according to dental caries and tobacco smoking habits: smoking with caries (Group 1, n = 15); smoking without caries (Group 2, n = 15); non-smoking with caries (Group 3, n = 15); and non-smoking without caries (Group 4, n = 25). Salivary sIgA was measured using ELISA. The fissure and proximal caries were examined clinically and radiographically. Caries status was determined according to the decay surface index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Smokers showed a higher number of caries and the lowest concentration of sIgA. The highest levels of sIgA were observed in non-smoking and caries-free subjects compared to caries-active smokers (123.2 ± 19.9 vs. 13.3 ± 4.1 μg/ml respectively, p < 0.001). Also, the mean level of sIgA in Group 4 was significantly higher than Group 3 (p = 0.009). More importantly, higher and significant levels of sIgA were found in Group 3 versus Group 1 (p < 0.0001) and Group 2 (p = 0.0004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that low concentrations of salivary sIgA are correlated with a higher prevalence of dental caries in smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Ahvaz Jondishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Golpasand Hagh
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zakavi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ansarifar
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ghasemzadeh
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Solgi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D003750:Dental Fissures / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory