Role of free radicals and antioxidant defences in oral cavity-related pathologies.

Free radicals play a key role in the development of several pathological conditions. Therefore, several methods have been developed to measure oxidative stress from bodily fluids including blood, urine and, more recently, saliva. Free radical and antioxidant defences within the oral cavity may play a key role in odontostomatological pathologies. This review provides an update of the literature concerning the association of oxidative stress with pathological conditions associated with the oral cavity. It focuses on the diagnostic and therapeutic importance of the tests based on saliva specimens in a preventive perspective.