Correlation of Neutrophil Chemotaxis and Dental Caries

In addition to microorganisms, several other factors such as host immune responses are also involved in pathogenesis of dental caries. Among the factors of immune system, the role of neutrophil in prevention or pathogenesis of dental caries is not well studied. So the aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of neutrophil chemotaxis and dental caries. Methods & Materials: In this analytical study, fifty dental students with dental caries were selected. 10 ml of heparinized blood were collected from subjects for neutrophil chemotaxis test by modified Boyden chamber method. Statistical analysis was made by ANOVA, t test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The amount of neutrophil chemotaxis in the above subjects was 94.38± 12.08 micrometer. Statistical analysis did not show any significant difference regarding to neutrophil chemotaxis in different degrees of DMF. But by comparing neutrophil chemotaxis with the degree of active caries, significant differences were shown between 0 and 5 degrees (P ≈ 0.000) and 1 and 5 degrees (P ≈ 0.016) of active caries regarding to the mean of neutrophil chemotaxis. It is suggested that not only deficiency in neutrophil chemotaxis is not assumed in pathogenesis of dental caries, but also there is a direct correlation between neutrophil chemotaxis and the degree of active caries. Of course more studies are needed in order to prove this hypothesis.