Introduction: Bacterial challenge in periodontal diseases activates both local and systemic immune responses of a macroorganism by increasing multiple proinflammatory factors that can be discovered in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and in saliva. We tested the hypothesis that IL-1β concentration in GCF and saliva correlates with periodontal health and diseases. Materials and methods: The study included 62 people (mean age 36±14 yrs), divided into three groups – patients with periodontitis (24 people), patients with gingivitis (19 people) and periodontally healthy people (19 people). Saliva and GCF samples were taken from all participants and the levels of IL-1β in all samples were determined by ELISA. Results: IL-1β concentrations in GCF of healthy individuals were significantly lower than the IL-1β concentration in GCF of patients with gingivitis (p=0.009) and with periodontitis (p<0.0001). The IL-1β concentrations in the saliva of healthy individuals were significantly lower than the IL-1β concentrations in the saliva of pa-tients with gingivitis (p=0.002) and patients with periodontitis (p=0.025). Conclusions: Based on the obtained results, IL-1β concentrations in GCF and saliva may be proposed as additional diagnostic criteria of inflammation in periodontal tissues, both at initial diagnosis and at diagnosis of recurrence of periodontitis, but further studies are needed to verify them as markers of periodontal diseases.

Background and Objectives: Over the past few decades, a substantial body of evidence has linked periodontitis to systemic diseases—including hypertension—but the mechanisms underlying this association are not fully understood. This study aims to identify the factors that may mediate this relationship, including an analysis of the inflammatory biomarker NLRP3 and IL-1β levels in serum and saliva in patients with both diseases. Materials and Methods: This study included 108 individuals (mean age, 47.8 years, SD 12.8), 38.9% male and 61.1% female. The participants were divided into four groups: Group I—26 healthy participants; Group II—24 participants with periodontitis; Group III—26 participants with hypertension; and Group IV—32 participants with both periodontitis and hypertension. Clinical examinations were performed to diagnose hypertension and periodontitis, including a survey and blood tests in all patients. NLRP3 and IL-1β levels in serum and saliva were measured using ELISA. Results: Patients with periodontitis and hypertension were significantly older than those without these conditions (respectively, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001) and had more missing teeth (respectively, p < 0.001 and p = 0.037). Higher values were found in the periodontitis and hypertension group than in healthy individuals for VLDL (p = 0.001), triglycerides (p = 0.001), CRP (p = 0.003), WBC (p = 0.007), blood sugar (p = 0.002), total cholesterol (p = 0.003), and LDL (p = 0.010). Significantly higher levels of NLRP3 in saliva (p = 0.038) and serum (p = 0.021) were observed in patients with periodontitis than in those without periodontitis. Significant correlations were found between serum NLRP3 levels and the presence of hypertension (p = 0.001) and between saliva IL-1β levels and the presence of hypertension (p = 0.010). Serum NLRP3 levels demonstrated a predictive value for hypertension (AUC 0.693, 95% CI 0.590–0.796, and p = 0.001), with an established cutoff value of 0.68 ng/mL (sensitivity 0.623, specificity 0.630). Conclusions: The higher levels and correlations of pro-inflammatory markers in serum and saliva observed in patients with periodontitis and hypertension support the hypothesis of a relationship between these diseases, likely mediated by low-grade systemic inflammation.

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to detect and genotype human papillomavirus (HPV) in tissues from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD), and healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: The study included 60 patients (31 men and 29 women; median age 60 years, IQR 41.5–69.8) admitted to the Department of Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical University of Sofia. Patients were divided into three groups: healthy oral mucosa (n = 20), OPMD (n = 20), and OSCC (n = 20). HPV was tested using punch biopsies with nested PCR and chip technology. Results: Low-risk HPV was found in four (20%) healthy individuals (types 6/11, 43), seven (35%) OPMD patients (types 6/11, 42, 43), and eleven (55%) OSCC patients (types 6/11, 42, 43). Pairwise comparison showed a significant difference in HPV positivity between healthy individuals and OSCC patients (p = 0.022). Among all HPV-positive OPMDs, the virus was detected in two leukoplakia cases (28.6%), three lichen planus cases (42.9%), one lichenoid lesion case (14.3%), and one proliferative verrucous leukoplakia case (14.3%). According to binary logistic regression, OSCC patients were 4.9 times more likely to be HPV-positive compared to healthy individuals (p = 0.027). Conclusions: HPV infection may play a potential role in the pathogenesis of OPMD and OSCC.

Periodontitis is a socially significant disease due to its potential to locally cause tooth loss and impaired function, and systemically, due to its influence on the onset and progression of various chronic diseases. Hypertension is socially significant because of its widespread prevalence and its potential to cause damage to various organs. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are involved in various immune and inflammatory response processes as post-transcriptional blockers that bind to mRNA and silence specific target genes. One of the mechanisms by which periodontitis may affect other systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, is believed to be due to changes in serum miRNA levels caused by periodontal infection. Such aberrant miRNA expression can impact signaling cascades related to immune mechanisms, potentially triggering chronic diseases involving inflammatory processes in their pathogenesis. Contemporary research focuses on identifying changes in miRNA expression associated with these pathologies, exploring their potential as next-generation biomarkers for early diagnosis, confirming shared signaling pathways between periodontal diseases and hypertension, and guiding the development of novel molecular therapeutic strategies. The significance of such scientific studies lies in their expected contribution to addressing public health challenges such as hypertension and periodontitis.

Oral cancer is an aggressive disease characterized by low average survival rates. Purpose: To examine the periodontal status in cases of primary oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD), periodontitis, and healthy individuals in relation to its impact on the development of OSCC and OPMD. Materials/Methods: The study involved 107 individuals with an average age of 54.22±14.38 years (58.9% male, 41.1% female), divided into four groups: Group I – patients with OSCC (n=43); Group II – patients with OPMD (n=21); Group III – patients with periodontitis (n=21); Group IV – healthy individuals (n=22). Results: In the OSCC, OPMD, and periodontitis groups, a significantly lower mean number of existing teeth was observed (16.97, 18, and 22.8, respectively) compared to the healthy group (28.77), along with a tendency for a higher number of missing teeth in OSCC patients compared to those with periodontitis. We found significantly higher values of BOP (Bleeding on Probing) in OSCC patients (67%) compared to those with periodontitis (48.57%) and healthy individuals (9.65%). We consider BOP a potential risk indicator for oral cancer. Conclusions: The trend toward a higher frequency of missing teeth in OSCC patients compared to those with periodontitis is associated with prior infection and inflammation in the oral cavity, which is suspected to play a role in oncogenesis. The significantly higher BOP values in OSCC patients compared to those with periodontitis indicate the influence of inflammation on the development of malignant processes. Periodontal treatment may be an effective approach to reducing the risk of carcinogenesis.