Evaluation of salivary enzymes and oral lesions among gas station workers compared to nearby shopkeepers in Tehran

Abstract

Background and Objective: Studies on the association of air pollution and oral and dental health status are limited. This study aimed  evaluated salivary enzymes and oral lesions among gas station workers compared to nearby shopkeepers, in relation to air pollution.

Materials and Methods: In this study, we compared the level of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in the saliva and oral lesions between gas station workers and shopkeepers. Fifty-two participants including 26 gas station workers and 26 shopkeepers were evaluated. These participants had at least one year of working experience and worked for five days a week. The inclusion criteria for the two groups were as follows: Absence of systemic diseases, no history of using immunosuppressive medications or oral spray, no history of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, absence of xerostomia and age range of 20 to 60 years. Shopkeepers were recruited from the nearby shops (less than 1 km distance from the gas stations). Saliva samples were collected of all 52 participants and evaluated.

Results: The mean age was 33.08±8.82 years for the gas station workers and 34.19±12.28 years for the shopkeepers. The mean work experience was 8.38±6.25 years and 8.38±9.17 years for the gas station workers and shopkeepers, respectively. Level of salivary enzymes were not different between the two groups. No difference was observed about oral lesions among the two groups.

Conclusion: This study showed that no difference existed between gas station workers and nearby shopkeepers regarding salivary enzymes and the appearance of oral lesions. Further studies are required to assess the effect of environmental pollutants on the saliva.