Periodontal Conditions and Whole Salivary IL-17A and -23 Levels among Young Adult <i>Cannabis sativa</i> (Marijuana)-Smokers, Heavy Cigarette-Smokers and Non-Smokers

• Main Authors: Fawad Javed, Abeer S. Al-Zawawi, Khaled S. Allemailem, Ahmad Almatroudi, Abid Mehmood, Darshan Devang Divakar, Abdulaziz A. Al-Kheraif
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: alveolar bone loss; <i>Cannabis sativa</i>; cigarette smoking; marijuana; probing depth; whole saliva
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/20/7435

In the United States, prevalence of marijuana-use has doubled in the past 2 decades. The aim was to compare the periodontal conditions and whole-salivary IL-17A and IL-23 levels among young adult marijuana-smokers, heavy cigarette-smokers and non-smokers. Self-reported marijuana-smokers, heavy-cigarette-smokers, non-smokers with periodontitis and periodontally-healthy non-smokers were included. Demographic data was recorded and full-mouth plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BoP), probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (AL), marginal bone loss (MBL) and missing teeth were recorded. Levels of IL-17A and IL-23 levels were measured in the whole saliva. <i>p</i> < 0.01 was considered statistically significant. Fifteen-marijuana-smokers, 15 heavy-cigarette-smokers, 16 non-smokers-with-periodontitis and 15 periodontally-healthy-non-smokers) were included. The clinicoradiographic parameters were worse among marijuana-smokers (<i>p</i> < 0.01), cigarette-smokers (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and non-smokers-with-periodontitis (<i>p</i> < 0.01) than periodontally-healthy-non-smokers. Marijuana- and cigarette-smokers had Stage-IV/Grade C and non-smokers with periodontitis had Stage-III/Grade-C. Salivary IL-17A and IL-23 levels were higher in marijuana-smokers than cigarette-smokers (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and non-smokers-with-periodontitis (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Whole salivary IL-17A and IL-23 levels were higher among cigarette-smokers than non-smokers with periodontitis (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and periodontally-healthy-individuals (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Marijuana- and heavy cigarette-smokers have comparable clinicoradiographic periodontal statuses. This rejects hypothesis-1. However, whole salivary immunoinflammatory response may be moderately worse in marijuana-smokers compared with heavy cigarette-smokers and non-smoker with periodontitis thereby supporting hypothesis-2.