Evaluation of salivary lactate dehydrogenase level among tobacco users - A hospital based study

Salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) holds promise as a screening tool for early oral mucosal changes, including precancers and cancers, often linked to tobacco use. This study evaluated salivary LDH levels across 135 patients from the dental outpatient department at M. G. M. Medical College and Hospital, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India. Participants were categorized into three groups (n=45 each): non-tobacco users (controls), tobacco users without oral lesions and tobacco users with oral lesions. Unstimulated saliva samples were collected, centrifuged and analyzed for LDH levels. Results revealed significantly highest salivary LDH levels in tobacco users with lesions, followed by tobacco users without lesions and then the control group. These findings suggest that salivary LDH could be a valuable biomarker for detecting pathological changes in the oral mucosa of tobacco users.