USING SALIVARY NITRITE LEVELS AS A POTENTIAL BIOMARKER FOR ORAL CHEMICAL CARCINOGENESIS

• Published in: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology Vol. 129; no. 1; p. e180
• Main Authors: ALONSO, HERCULANO RAMIREZ FLORO, MORAES, MAYARA RICARDO, DA SILVA AMORIM, AMANDA RAFAELA, DE LYRA VASCONCELOS, MARIANA, DE MOURA FERREIRA, KELLY, NETO, JOSÉ AMORIM LISBOA, PANJWANI, CAMILA MARIA BEDER RIBEIRO GIRISH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-01-2020
• ISSN: 2212-4403; 2212-4411
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2019.06.764

To detect salivary nitrite levels (SNL) and to determine whether SNL is significant in oral mucosal cells as a potential chemical carcinogen using biochemical parameters and its relation to oral hygiene, pH, smoking and dietary habits.
Patients were divided and compared among 3 groups: Normal individuals with no habits (Control Group [CG]), nonsmoking individuals with poor oral hygiene (GNS), and smoking individuals with poor oral hygiene (GS). Two saliva samples were collected in 2 moments (split time of 2 hours and hygiene methods applied for the second one) and, in both times, the samples were analyzed with a reagent stripe for pH levels and nitrite.
CG has less SNL. In addition, in both samples, GNS pH levels ranged from 6 to 7; GS, from 6 to 7.5; and the same value for CG. Hyposalivation was present in GS (5%) and CG (10%).
By means of the improved methodology, it was found that the presence and variations of nitrite in the oral cavity might be linked to the presence of nitrate-reducing bacteria, saliva's acidification, poor oral hygiene, and ingestion of nitrate rich food. Further studies are needed to prove SNL as a potential carcinogenic factor.