Sodium Bicarbonate Toothpastes Reduce Metalloproteinase-8 And Interleukin-1β Levels in Smokers and Improve Important Salivary Indexes

Background: Saliva is an important body fluid that aids in digestion and contains a repertoire of important biomarkers. This research aimed to investigate the role of sodium bicarbonate toothpaste in regulating salivary indexes. Materials and Methods: The study involved taking saliva samples from healthy and fasting adult, male volunteers, aged between 20 to 45 years old. The samples were taken randomly and stratified, from 50 smokers and 50 non-smokers. The levels of metalloproteinase-8, interleukin-1β, pH, salivary flow rate, and α-amylase were measured, and the effects of sodium bicarbonate toothpaste application were investigated. Results: The levels of metalloproteinase-8 and interleukin-1β in smokers were significantly elevated, with more acidic saliva but reduced salivary flow rate and α-amylase. With the application of sodium bicarbonate, there were significant reductions in metalloproteinase-8 and interleukin-1β, with substantial improvement in pH, salivary flow rate, and α-amylase in both smokers and non-smokers. Conclusion: This study confirmed the negative effects of smoking. The use of sodium bicarbonate toothpaste enhanced oral health by reducing the pro-inflammatory biomarkers while improving the pH, salivary flow rate, and α-amylase.