Scrutinizing the Effect of Serum Iron and Magnesium Levels in Chronic Periodontitis Patients with or Without Hypertension

Abstract

Introduction: Micronutrients have received a lot of attention in recent years, with magnesium and iron being particularly important for a variety of physiologic functions. The activation of neutrophils is an early effect of hypomagnesemia, which leads to the destruction of periodontal tissue. Because magnesium regulates blood pressure via vascular tone and reactivity, its altered levels may contribute to the pathophysiology of hypertension.

Aims and Objectives: The present study was designed to estimate the levels of serum iron and magnesium in systemically and periodontally healthy subjects, systemically healthy chronic periodontitis patients and chronic periodontitis patients with hypertension.

Materials and Methods: A total of 90 subjects in the age group 18-65 years were included in the study. They were categorized into three groups as group I: 30 periodontally healthy, group II: 30 chronic periodontitis, and group III: 30 chronic periodontitis with hypertension. The modified xylidyl blue reaction method was used to determine serum magnesium levels, and the ferrozine method without deproteinization was used to determine serum iron levels via photometry.

Results: Biochemical parameters revealed mean serum iron levels in chronic periodontitis (59.17\(\mu\)g/dl) to be significantly reduced as compared with the control group (76.90\(\mu\)g/dl) and slightly increased in the chronic periodontitis with hypertension group (69.63\(\mu\)g/dl). Serum magnesium levels in the hypertensive group were found to be significantly lower than in the chronic periodontitis and control groups.

Conclusion: Periodontitis and hypertension were found to be closely related to serum iron and magnesium levels. Therefore, it can be concluded that these levels have a potential role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.