Saliva as a Diagnostic Fluid in Lead Exposed Subject

Abstract

Background: Lead poisoning has been recognized since antiquity. In the second century B.C., Dioscorides, a Greek physician said “lead makes the mind give way” lead poisoning in adults continues to occur today, mostly as a consequence of occupational exposures. Heavy metal poisoning is the toxic accumulation of heavy metals in the soft tissues of the body. In human, lead can results in a wide range of biological effects depending upon the level and duration of exposure. Effects at the subcellular level as well as effects on the overall functioning of the body have been noted and range from inhibition of enzymes to the production of marked morphological changes and death. Such changes occur over a broad ranges of doses, the developing human generally being more sensitive than the adult. Objectives: To Study the possibility of using salivary lead concentration as alternative to blood lead concentration and estimate (clinical, biochemical, hematological and saliva cytological) changes to in lead exposed individual.