[The nonspecific resistance of the oral cavity in adolescents].

Nonspecific resistance of the oral cavity was studied in 83 adolescents with catarrhal gingivitis, generalized or focal periodontitis, and intact periodontium. Mixed salivary and gingival fluid pools were examined. Immunoglobulins A and G, secretory immunoglobulin A, salivary and gingival fluid lysozyme, B lyse activity, and salivary excretion rate were measured. The findings evidence activation of local defense factors in catarrhal gingivitis at the expense of nonspecific defense factors, and a reduction of nonspecific defense parallelled by activation of the specific factors (secretory IgA) in periodontitis, which fact may be explained by augmentation of the antigenic stimulus at the expense of bacterial plaque dissemination under the gingiva.