Saliva test reveals smoking and gum disease wreck your DNA

This study looked at whether smoking and severe gum disease (Stage III periodontitis) cause damage to DNA and RNA, the building blocks of your cells. Researchers measured two markers of cell damage in the saliva of 88 adults, including smokers and non-smokers with and without gum disease. They found that people with gum disease had more DNA and RNA damage, and smokers with gum disease had the highest levels. The results suggest that a simple saliva test could help detect gum disease and show how smoking adds to cell damage.