Background: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), the most extensively studied Pattern recognition receptor plays a vital role in maintaining periodontal health and hence overexaggerated or chronic TLR4 signaling during inflammation could lead to the destruction of periodontal tissues. Because of the potential association between periodontal disease and host immune response, the aim of the present study was to analyse the salivary levels of TLR4 in patients with chronic periodontitis, chronic gingivitis compared to periodontally healthy individuals. Materials and methods: 14 patients with chronic periodontitis, 14 patients with chronic gingivitis and 14 periodontally healthy subjects were selected and the clinical parameters such as plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level were recorded. TLR4 levels in the saliva of 42 individuals were assessed by Enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Results: The healthy group exhibited significantly lower values in all clinical measurements (P <0.001) compared to other groups. Salivary TLR4 levels were found to be higher in patients with chronic periodontitis but the difference in levels was not statistically significant compared to other groups. Conclusion: TLR4 expression was demonstrated in saliva of all the three groups with an increased level in the chronic periodontitis group compared to others but the difference in levels were not statistically significant. Further studies are expected in the future to draw definitive conclusions regarding the role of TLR4 in periodontal diseases and diagnostic usefulness of TLR4 in progression of periodontitis.
