Periodontal disease is an inflammatory process that can result in tooth loss and also is considered a modifying factor for systemic health. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 is the major collagenase of periodontal tissue breakdown. The aim of the present study is to analyze active (aMMP-8) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), saliva and serum in the context of new criteria of gingivitis and stage 3 grade C periodontitis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• systemically healthy and non-smoker individuals aged 25 to 50 years
• having ≥20 teeth present (except third molars)
• individuals with periodontally healthy, gingivitis and stage 3 periodontitis diagnoses

Exclusion Criteria:

• having any systemic disease
• smoking
• pregnancy or lactation
• using antibiotic or any anti-inflammatory drug or any periodontal treatment within the past 6 months.

Healthy controls (n=23) includes volunteers with clinically healthy periodontium who had BOP < 10% and PD ≤ 3 mm, no sites with > 1 mm attachment loss, no radiographic sign of alveolar bone destruction and no history of periodontitis. Gingivitis patients (n=20) shows PD ≤ 3 mm with BOP > 50% in the entire mouth as well as no clinical attachment loss or alveolar bone loss. Periodontitis patients (Generalized Stage 3) have interdental CAL ≥ 5 mm at least 2 non-adjacent teeth, PD ≥ 6 mm and radiographic bone loss affecting 30% of the teeth or more.They show also no more than 4 teeth loss due to periodontitis.