The Effect of Smoking on Mineral and Protein Compositionof Saliva

INTRODUCTION: To assess the salivary composition of proteins and minerals in smokers compared with non-smokers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study we compared the total protein and Ca, Na, K, Mg, Pb of whole saliva in two groups of men (28 smokers and 31nonsmokers) aged between 29-41years. RESULTS: Fifty-nine participants were evaluated. The mean age was 33.14±5.32 years among smokers and 32.15±5.12 years among non-smokers (P>0.05). The mean concentration of total protein, Ca, Pb, and Zn of whole saliva in smokers was lower than that in non-smokers, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The mean concentration of Na, K, Mg in whole saliva was not significantly different between smokers and non-smokers (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: We specified that smoking reduced the value of total protein, Ca and Pb of saliva, however it did not have an impact on Na, K, and Mg of saliva.