The role of salivary cytokines in the etiology and progression of periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is a common oral disease in all segments of the population, regardless of their systemic health status. The disease is generalized or localized and the severity of lesions can vary at different sites. It is possible to recognize a number of different types of periodontal disease on the basis of clinical and pathological criteria, which include the extent of periodontal destruction, the age of onset and severity of disease, the distribution of lesions, the microflora involved, and the variation in host responses. The ultimate outcome of periodontal disease in adults, whether treated or untreated, depends on patient susceptibility. While periodontopathic bacteria are recognized as the etiologic agents in periodontal disease, their interaction with and modulation of the host immune response is of fundamental importance. An interplay of protection and pathology active in periodontal disease is that of T-lymphocyte cells and the subsequent production of cytokines within the periodontal tissues.