Comparative Analysis of Salivary Electrolyte Concentrations and Flow Rate in Chronic Smokers versus Non-Smokers

Background: Tobacco smoking has well-documented adverse effects on oral health, yet the specific mechanisms by which smoking alters salivary electrolyte composition remain incompletely understood. Given saliva's critical role in maintaining oral homeostasis, investigating smoking-induced changes in salivary electrolytes may provide insights into disease susceptibility patterns observed in smoking populations. This study aimed to quantify and compare salivary electrolyte concentrations and flow rates between chronic smokers and non-smokers, while examining relationships between smoking duration and observed salivary changes. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis involving 200 participants (100 smokers, 100 non-smokers) between ages 25-55 years. Both stimulated and unstimulated saliva samples underwent electrolyte analysis using ion-selective electrodes and spectrophotometric methods. Statistical evaluation employed independent t-tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression modeling. Results: Smokers demonstrated significantly elevated sodium (p<0.001), chloride (p<0.001), and calcium concentrations (p<0.05) relative to non-smokers. Conversely, potassium and phosphate concentrations were significantly decreased in the smoking group (p<0.01). Both stimulated and unstimulated salivary flow rates showed marked reductions in smokers (p<0.001). Strong positive correlations emerged between smoking duration and sodium/chloride concentrations. Conclusion: Chronic tobacco use produces substantial alterations in salivary electrolyte composition and secretion rates, which may contribute to the heightened oral disease susceptibility observed in smoking populations. These findings suggest potential utility of salivary electrolyte profiles as biomarkers for smoking-related oral health risk assessment. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59564/amrj/03.04/012