Estimation of Trace Elements in Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Serum-Comparative Study in Healthy and Periodontitis

Background: This study aims to determine and compare the levels of trace elements copper, zinc, selenium and chromium in GCF and serum of patients with periodontitis and healthy individuals. Methods: This cross sectional study includes 24 study subjects recruited from the patients reporting to the Department of Periodontics , Tagore Dental College Chennai. All the selected patients were subjected to a clinical examination done by a single examiner. The estimation of trace elements Copper, Zinc, Selenium and Chromium in GCF and serum is performed using Perkin Elmer optima 5300 Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer (ICPOES). Results: GCF and serum copper levels showed no significant difference in both periodontitis and healthy groups . Selenium levels tend to be the same in both groups. Serum zinc levels are more in periodontitis patients than healthy subjects (p less than 0.01). GCF chromium levels are found to be more in patients with periodontitis than healthy. Conclusions : More research is therefore needed to monitor the role of these trace elements C with an increased sample size to ascertain whether they are associated with a reduced risk of periodontitis.