Evaluation of salivary tumour necrosis factor–alpha in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis

PURPOSE: Present study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the salivary levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in subjects with RAS, traumatic ulcers (TUs) in the oral mucosa and in healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Present study involved 90 participants of which 30 subjects were diagnosed with RAS, 30 subjects with TUs and 30 healthy controls grouped as group 1, group 2 and group 3 respectively. Unstimulated saliva was collected from the subjects through 'Spit Technique' and the estimation of TNF-α was done by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The data collected was statistically analysed. RESULTS: Salivary level of TNF-α was significantly higher in RAS patients than in patients with TUs and healthy controls. Difference between the Salivary TNF-α level in our study groups were statistically significant (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Present study suggests that saliva is a convenient and ideal medium for the detection of TNF-α. Statistically significant difference in the level of salivary TNF-α between the RAS and TUs subjects as well as controls suggests the significant contribution of TNF-α in pathogenesis of RAS.