The effect of salivary interleukin-8 level and feeding pattern on the gingival health condition among children

Background The main cause of human periodontal diseases is infection with gram -ve bacteria, like Porphyromonas gingivalis and Bacteroides forsythus. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) may contribute to the periodontal tissue damage. Breastfeeding is an effective method to safeguard the child’s health and endurance. Therefore, this cross-sectional study is intended to investigate the effect of the feeding type on gingival health by monitoring the level of salivary interleukin-8. Subjects and Methods Fifty-seven children aged 4–6 years old were enrolled in this study. They were divided according to the type of feeding into formula feeding or breast feeding. Oral examination was done according to the protocols of oral health surveys using plaque and gingival indices to evaluate the severity of gingivitis. Salivary IL-8 level was measured by collecting saliva directly from the oral cavity and testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. Results Most of the cases recorded had mild gingivitis (37 cases), while the rest showed moderate gingivitis (20 cases), with no severe or healthy cases. Regarding group difference between the two types of feeding, there was a high significant difference for IL-8 level with highly elevated level in the formula feeding group. Level of IL-8 showed a significant difference between 5 and 6 years old and non-significant differences with regard to plaque and gingival indices in spite of an increase in IL-8 level in moderate-type gingivitis rather than mild gingivitis. Conclusion The finding of this study exhibited an elevation in the level of salivary IL-8 in poor oral hygiene and older children in spite of the weak correlation. Formula feeding may influence both IL-8 level and the gingival health status.