Quantitative differences in volatiles from healthy mouths and mouths with periodontitis.

It has been suggested that orally derived volatile aromatic amines may be of possible diagnostic use and may contribute to the etiology or pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Using gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, we identified and quantitated pyridine and picolines in the headspace of incubated whole saliva from healthy and diseased subjects. The oral health of subjects was evaluated by four standard oral-health indices. Volatile aromatic amines were virtually absent from subjects with healthy oral cavities, but were present in the oral cavities of subjects with periodontitis to the extent of 636.4 (SEM 154.7) ng/5 mL of saliva. Pyridine and picolines in saliva of diseased subjects may be related to the disease process.