Abstract
Introduction. Dental caries is one of the most common infectious diseases of the oral cavity, and is an inflammatory disease caused by several factors. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a major mediator of acute inflammation and essential for the development of specific immune responses. The objective of this study was to assess the levels of secretory IgA (s-IgA) and IL-1β in the saliva of smokers with dental caries, and to discover the correlation between these parameters and dental caries. Methods. Saliva samples were collected from 30 smokers, age range 21-70 years, with dental caries, in addition to 18 healthy non-smoker volunteers, age range 21-65 years. s-IgA and IL-1β levels in the saliva samples were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results. The mean saliva IgA levels between smokers with dental caries group and healthy subjects were not significantly different (p=0.077), while the saliva levels of IL-1β were higher in the smokers in dental caries group, with a significant difference of p<0.05. No significant associations were found between s-IgA and IL-1β levels, and other parameters such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (p>0.05). There were highly positive associations and significant differences between IL-1β and CRP levels in the two groups under the study (p=0.006). Conclusions. Our study revealed a significant increase in IL-1β levels in saliva of smokers with dental caries, and a positive association between IL-1β levels and caries disease. There is no significant relationship between elevated IL-1β levels and s-IgA in smokers with dental caries.