Estimation of salivary nitric oxide in recurrent aphthous ulcer and oral lichen planus patients with its clinical significance.

AIM The present study was undertaken to study the role of nitric oxide in human saliva and its diagnostic/prognostic role in recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) and oral lichen planus (OLP). MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was carried out at outpatient department of Govt Dental College and Hospital, Aurangabad. Twenty cases with RAU, 15 with OLP and 30 healthy individuals were included in the study. The clinically diagnosed known cases of RAU and OLP were included after taking the detail case history and subjected to blood analysis for hemogram and biochemically salivary nitric oxide was estimated. RESULTS The salivary nitric oxide levels were found to be increased significantly in RAU and OLP group, when compared with controls. Further, significantly increased levels have been observed in OLP group, when compared with RAU group (p < 0.001). The salivary nitric oxide levels were found to be increased significantly in minor RAU than major RAU and increased in erosive type of OLP than nonerosive type of OLP. CONCLUSION Thus, salivary nitric oxide can be treated as a diagnostic tool for the differential diagnosis of RAU and OLP. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Nitric oxide plays an important role in modifying physiopathological processes of oral mucosal membrane so has diagnostic as well as prognostic value.