A study was undertaken to determine the presence of cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine, in the saliva and gingival crevicular fluid of smokers with periodontal disease. Saliva and crevicular fluid samples were obtained from 16 habitual cigarette smokers and analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for the presence of cotinine. Thirteen non–smokers with periodontal disease served as controls. There was no evidence of cotinine (within our detection levels) in either the saliva or crevicular fluid of any of the non–smokers. Cotinine, in a wide range of concentrations, was detected in the saliva and crevicular fluid in all of the 16 cigarette smokers. The presence of a nicotine metabolite in the saliva and gingival crevicular fluid reflects the extent of the systemic distribution of nicotine in smokers. The vasoactive properties of nicotine are well known and may possibly affect the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.

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