Background: Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of tooth-supporting tissues. The present study was conducted to evaluate Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with chronic periodontitis.
Materials and Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 60 men including 30 smokers and 30 age-matched non-smokers. The assessment of periodontal health was performed by using dental plaque, Barnett gingival bleeding and probing pocket depth (PPD) index. Cytokines level in the GCF evaluated by Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).
Results: The mean value of dental plaque index showed no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.1). Although gingival bleeding index was higher in control compared to the case group, the difference was not significant (P=0.08). The mean probing pocket depth (PPD) was lower in the case that the control group (P=0.02). The mean of IL-10 and IFN-γ levels were 1.25 (pg/ml) and 0.82 (pg/ml) in smokers, and 1.22 (pg/ml) and 0.75 (pg/ml) in non-smokers (P>0.05), respectively.
Conclusion: The findings showed that IL-10 and IFN-γ levels in the GCF of smokers were higher compared with non-smokers with chronic periodontitis, however, the difference was not significant. Further investigations including the evaluation of the other inflammatory mediators are required.