Although our study results do not associate increased salivary IL-8 and TNF alpha levels with oral mucosal changes or the use of tobacco, other studies that have determined salivary IL-8, TNF alpha and IL-6 levels in histologically approved oral leukoplakia, submucous fibrosis and lichen planus patients revealed that these biomarker levels were significantly increased in these populations [29]. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and lichen planus.