Evaluation of salivary alpha amylase activity in smokers with periodontitis, Khartoum state, 2023

Introduction and aim. Smoking widely affect oral health, including its role in the development of periodontitis. Saliva contains an antioxidant system and various enzymes. The study was designed to evaluate the activity of salivary alpha amylase among individuals who smoke and have periodontitis. Material and methods. A total of 100 participants were included, with 50 cases (cigarette smokers with periodontitis) and the remaining 50 nonsmokers with healthy periodontium as the control group. Saliva samples were collected to measure salivary alpha amylase activity. Results. Smokers with periodontitis had significantly higher levels of salivary alpha amylase compared to the control group(177.96±14.5 vs 94.04±19.6 IU/mL, p<0.001). Additionally, there was a weak negative correlation between the level of alpha amylase and the age of the patients (p=0.01, r=0.376). However, no correlation was found between the level of alpha amylase and the duration of smoking (p=0.584, r=0.079). Conclusion. There is a significant increase in salivary alpha amylase levels among smokers with periodontitis. No correlation was found between age and salivary alpha amylase levels. However, a weak positive correlation was observed between the duration of smoking and salivary alpha amylase activity.