Salivary human beta defensin-1 level and oral health status of Tobacco smokers

Salivary human beta defensin-1 (SHBD-1) is an important component of innate immune defense against attacking oral microbes. Tobacco smoking causes many changes to the oral cavity, including changes to salivary components, but its effects on SHBD-1 have not been widely studied. We evaluated the effects of tobacco smoking exposure on SHBD-1 level. A total of 68 male study patients were divided into 2 groups: 44 smokers and 24 nonsmokers. Data were collected from anamnesis, clinical (oral, dental, and saliva status), and laboratory examinations. Saliva samples were stored at -80 °C until they were tested for SHBD-1 via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in the amount of SHBD-1 between smokers and nonsmokers, which had median (minimum-maximum) SHBD-1 levels of 5.65 (0.07-45.02) and 2.34 (0.04-16.76) pg/mL, respectively. Tobacco smoking exposure adversely affects saliva components, including SHBD-1 level, regardless of cigarette type, smoking duration, and smoking frequency.