MMP8 and periodontitis: Based on the new classification of periodontal diseases and conditions, patients were at stage II or III in terms of severity and grade B in terms of risk of progression.8 Based on the randomization of 28 patients with periodontitis (with a mean age of 46.39), 13 were assigned to the control and 15 to the study group; moreover, 12 healthy subjects were included to determine the normal salivary MMP-8 levels.