RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to analyze IL-40, IL-1ß, and MMP-8 levels in periodontitis as well as gingivitis and periodontal health, and to explore potential correlations between these biomarkers and standard clinical parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected saliva samples from 120 systemically healthy, non-smoking individuals aged between 18 and 63 years. These individuals were divided into three groups: healthy controls [S], gingivitis [G], and stage III grade B periodontitis [P]. IL-40, IL-1ß, and MMP-8 levels in saliva samples were analyzed by ELISA. RESULTS: We observed significantly elevated salivary IL-40 levels in the G group compared to the S group (p = 0.003). We found significantly higher salivary IL-1ß levels in the P group compared to both the S and G groups (p = 0.000). Salivary MMP-8 levels were significantly higher in the P group than in the S group (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that IL-40 and IL-1ß may serve as effective salivary biomarkers for diagnosing gingivitis, while MMP-8 and IL-1ß may be effective for distinguishing periodontitis. Based on our study's findings, it can be stated that IL-40 may serve as a new and effective biomarker for distinguishing individuals with gingivitis from healthy ones.
