Aim: Local bacteria stimulate polymorphonuclear neutrophils to release reactive oxygen species in periodontitis. Increased levels of oxidative stress play a significant role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate total salivary and serum antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde in patients with chronic periodontitis.Materials and methods: Fifty-five healthy subjects and 55 patients with chronic periodontitis, with an age range of 30–50 years, were evaluated. After clinical examination and case selection, unstimulated whole saliva was collected in the morning. Blood samples were taken from the antecubital vein. Total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde levels were evaluated by spectrophotometric assay. Data were analyzed with t-test, using Stata.11 software program.Results: The periodontitis group exhibited lower salivary (0.16) and serum (0.36) total antioxidant capacity (P = 0.11) compared to the control group. Mean salivary malondialdehyde levels in the case and control groups were 0.80 ± 0.09 and 0.42 ± 0.08, respectively. The results showed significantly higher levels of salivary and serum malondialdehyde in the periodontitis group. Gender did not have any effect on antioxidant and oxidative stress levels.Conclusion: This study indicated increased levels of salivary and serum oxidative stresses in patients with chronic periodontitis. Total antioxidant capacity was mildly lower in the saliva and serum of these patients. Higher malondialdehyde levels with no changes in antioxidant status can result in systemic and local complications in these patients.

Dental caries is the most common, chronic, noncommunicable, preventable oral disease worldwide. Oxidation may play an important role in dental caries initiation and progression. Antioxidants in body fluids protect cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate salivary and serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in dental caries. A total of 118 healthy caries-free and caries-active male and female students participated. Caries was detected clinically. Unstimulated whole-saliva samples and blood samples were obtained. Sialochemical analysis was carried out by spectrophotometric assay. Data were analyzed with the Student t test using STATA 11. Salivary and serum TAC levels in the case and control groups did not show any significant differences. Mean salivary MDA levels in the case and control groups were 0.71 ± 0.1 and 0.35 ± 0.06 nmol/mL, respectively. The results showed significantly higher levels of salivary and serum MDA in the case group compared to the healthy control group. The oxidative stress marker was significantly higher in the caries group compared to the healthy control group. Antioxidants were not significantly different between the two groups. MDA can be produced by dental caries, resulting in a decrease in antioxidant levels, causing disease progression. Further studies are necessary to determine whether MDA is the cause or effect of the disease.

<p><strong>Objective</strong>: Some previous studies suggested a significant relationship between alpha- amylase, and caries formation. This study was implemented in order to investigate the interrelation between level of salivary and serum alpha- amylase and dental caries. <strong>Material and Methods</strong>: In this cross-sectional investigation, un-stimulated whole saliva  and serum sample was collected from 118 high school students  who were divided to four groups: Caries free female (N= 28), caries active females (N=35), caries free males(N= 28) and caries active males(N= 27). Mean levels of salivary and serum alpha-amylase was assayed by spectrophotometric method to assay enzyme kinetics. Data were analyzed using student’s t-test and chi-square test. <strong>Results</strong>: The results of this study demonstrated  that salivary and Serum alpha- amylase were  significantly   higher in caries active group as compared to carries free group(P = 0.002, P= 0.001 respectively). In addition in male groups the mean salivary and serum alpha -amylase was significantly higher in caries active as compared to caries free (P = 0.002, P = 0.02 respectively) and in   female Groups the mean serum   alpha- amylase was statistically significant higher in caries active as compared to caries free (P = 0.01)<strong>. Conclusion</strong>: The results of this study demonstrated significant association between salivary and serum alpha- amylase in adolescence with dental caries. More research should be done to demonstrate real relation between   alpha amylase and   dental caries.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong></p><p>Alpha–amylase; Dental caries; Saliva; Serum.<strong></strong></p>

Background and Aim: Dental caries is the most common infectious, noncommunicable, chronic disease worldwide. Obesity and overweight are major public health problems. Both dental caries and obesity have multi-factorial etiology. The aim of the present study was to determine the possible correlation between the body mass index (BMI), lipid profile and dental caries in two groups of high-school students with active caries (AC) and no caries (CF) in Hamadan, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 118 high-school students between 15-19 years were divided into two groups of AC and CF. All clinical examinations were carried out by a single examiner. Blood samples were obtained from the antecubital vein. Lipid profile was assessed by the enzymatic method using an auto-analyzer. Data were analyzed using Stata.11 software. Statistical comparisons were made using Student's ttest and chi-square test. Results: BMI was significantly lower in AC group than CF group (P=0.008). Males had higher BMI than females (P=0.056). CF group had significantly lower level of triglycerides (P=0.01), cholesterol (P=0.02) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (P=0.02) than AC group. Conclusion: Our results showed that dental caries adversely affects the systemic growth pattern, and students with dental caries had lower BMI than others. Altered lipid profile had a higher frequency in AC group. Dental caries and obesity are both multi-factorial diseases; hence, well-designed epidemiologic studies on the same age group need to be performed in the future taking into account the socioeconomic and cultural factors.

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