The purpose of this study was to determine whether chronic periodontitis can stand behind the modifications observed in the salivary and blood concentration of some bivalent cations (Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Copper).
The investigations were performed on an experimental group of 30 patients with clinically-onset chronic periodontitis, and on a control one, including 30 periodontitisfree patients.
Total saliva samples were obtained as “first time in the morning” then weighed and processed. Cations were read on an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Calcium, Copper and Zinc) and also by Ion Chromatography (Magnesium). The same patients were required to undergo laboratory blood tests for Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc.
The obtained data were normalised, then statistically interpreted using two-tailed heteroscedastic t-Student tests.
The results obtained showed a clear connection of blood magnesium, and also of salivary calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper, to chronic periodontitis.
Salivary cations are therefore related to the local inflammatory status and associated pathological processes. Blood magnesium could be affected by chronic inflammation.