Advantages of Free Radicals in the Cell

3 Oral Diseases Oxidative Stress and the Role of Antioxidant Defenses in the Oral Cavity 

The oral cavity is lined with delicate mucus membranes that allow rapid absorption of harmful chemicals present in food, drinks, tobacco products and dental materials across its surface. The oral tissues are also vulnerable to cell damage through trauma, bacterial onslaught and other disease-causing agents. The oral cavity is therefore uniquely susceptible to oxidative stress that can be responsible for a number of oral diseases such as periodontitis [6], aphthous ulcers [14], lichen planus [15,13] and oral submucous fibrosis [16], some of which may develop into oral cancers [15,17]. 

Antioxidants can remove the harmful effects of these free radicals. Saliva is a natural defense against bacteria and other substances pernicious to the oral cavity, and the antioxidants present in saliva are among the most important elements that aid in protection against these diseases. Antioxidants present in saliva include uric acid, albumin, ascorbic acid, glutathione and enzymes such as transferrin, lactoferrin and ceruloplasmin [20,13]. 

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