SALIVARY CORTISOL AS A BIOMARKER OF CHRONIC STRESS AND ITS CORRELATION WITH THE PREVALENCE OF CARIES AND PERIODONTITIS IN MILITARY PERSONNEL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35220/2523-420X/2025.4.5Keywords:
oral fluid, hormonal profile, chronic stress, HPA axis, stress-induced disorders, dental status, index indicators, hard tissue damage, periodontal changes, military personnelAbstract
The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing prevalence of stress-induced dental disorders among military personnel, especially under conditions of prolonged psychophysiological stress. This group is characterized by chronic stress conditions, which are significant determinants of the risk of damage to hard tooth tissues and periodontium. Given the limited opportunities for regular dental examinations, it is important to find objective biomarkers that can reflect the level of chronic stress and predict dental status. The purpose of the article is to scientifically justify the use of oral fluid cortisol as an informative biomarker of chronic stress and to determine its relationship with gender, age, and dental status of military personnel with different types of service and combat stress, as well as civilians, in particular in terms of the prevalence and intensity of caries and periodontal lesions. The research methods included determining the concentration of oral fluid cortisol using the ELISA method, clinical assessment of dental status using the K02 and K05 indices, statistical comparison of three samples (military personnel with combat experience, military personnel without combat experience, and civilians), as well as correlation analysis to assess the relationship between hormonal indicators and dental status. All stages of the study were carried out in accordance with standardized protocols for the collection of biomaterial and unified diagnostic procedures. The results of the study showed a statistically significant increase in the level of cortisol in oral fluid in military personnel compared to the civilian group. At the same time, the highest cortisol values were recorded in military personnel with combat experience, lower values in military personnel without combat experience, and the lowest values in civilians. Significant positive correlations were found between cortisol levels and dental indices K02 and K05, with the relationship with periodontal status (K05) being more pronounced, which is consistent with the increased sensitivity of periodontal tissues to chronic stress. Conclusions. Oral fluid cortisol is a promising auxiliary biomarker for assessing chronic stress and dental risk in military personnel. It is advisable to use it in the system of preventive examinations, dispensary supervision, and interdisciplinary interaction in military dentistry for the early detection of patients with an increased risk of caries and periodontitis. Prospects for further research are related to expanding the sample size, standardizing reference ranges for cortisol in military contingents, developing multifactorial models for predicting dental risk, and analyzing the dynamics of hormonal changes at different stages of service and rehabilitation
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