DOI: 10.4103/jispcd.jispcd_30_26 ISSN: 2231-0762

Assessment of Oral Health Indicators and Salivary Redox Biomarkers Among Healthcare Workers Occupationally Exposed to Ionizing Radiation: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

Jihan Munther Hussien, Dalia Kudier Abbas
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Abstract

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the association of occupational ionizing radiation (IR) exposure with oral health and salivary redox status in healthcare workers, comparing them with nonexposed workers.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, 90 male workers aged 30–40 years were divided equally into interventional radiology, computed tomography (CT), and laboratory (LAB) groups. Oral health was assessed by the gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), plaque index (PI), and clinical attachment loss (CAL). Unstimulated saliva was analyzed for 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and catalase (CAT) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results:

GI, PPD, and PI were significantly higher in both exposed groups than in the LAB group ( P = 0.011, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively), whereas BOP was significantly higher only in the interventional radiology group ( P = 0.018); CAL did not differ between groups ( P = 0.850). Both exposed groups showed higher 8-OHdG and lower CAT than the LAB group ( P < 0.001). Furthermore, 8-OHdG was higher in the interventional radiology group than in the CT group ( P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in CAT levels between the exposed groups. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed high discriminatory performance for both biomarkers (area under the curve [AUC] = 1.000). All associations remained significant after adjustment for age and working days per week, with neither covariate an independent predictor.

Conclusion:

Occupational IR exposure may be associated with deterioration in periodontal health and altered salivary redox biomarkers.

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