the effect of smoking on salivary osteocalcin in patients with chronic periodontitis

introduction: periodontitis is a multi-factorial inflammatory disease of periodontium. a precise mechanism in which smoking affects periodontium is not accurately understood. this study was planned to survey salivary osteocalcin (oc) level among smokers with chronic periodontitis and its comparison to non-smoker patients which may help achieve a better understanding of mechanisms being involved in beginning and developing of periodontal disease. materials and methods: this case-control study was done among patients referred to babol dental school. the patients who had systemic disease or who had been taking intervening drugs, and alsothe patients who were under periodontal treatment at least 6 months before the start of the study, were excluded. thirty-five patients with history of smoking 10 cigarettes/day during at least 5 years entered into case group and 35 patients who had not smoked, and did not have a smoking history in the past, entered the control group (both groups had periodontitis). clinical parameters according to ramfjord system, including clinical attachment loss (cal) and probing pocket depth (ppd) were recorded. one milliliter of unstimulated saliva of patients was collected in tubes and stored at −80° c. enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test was done to evaluate the salivary oc levels. the data were analyzed with mann–whitney test. result: the mean age in case group was 43.03 (± 7.71) and 40.37 (± 5.73) years in the control group. there was no statistically significant difference in salivary oc levels between two groups (p > 0.050), but the average of ppd and cal were significantly higher in case group and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.050). conclusion: our study showed that smoking and periodontal diseases are associated, but the present study did not prove the destructive effects of smoking on periodontal tissues by changing the salivary levels of oc.