Estimation of Salivary Magnesium Levels in Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

India holds the highest rank in terms of incidence of oral cancer. Early detection is essential to reduce the mortality rate results in late cancer diagnosis. Recent studies emphasize micronutrients or trace elements as harbingers in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). These trace elements play a dual role in cancer cell proliferation and act as anti-cancer agents. Magnesium (Mg) forms an essential component of the micronutrient family of the body. It has many functions, including regulating the cell cycle and proliferation, metabolic activities, and other physiological functions. Impaired Mg homeostasis is associated with various pathological conditions. It has gained much importance in the past decade due to its complex relationship with cancer, as alterations in serum and salivary Mg have been reported in cancer patients. This study aimed to estimate salivary Mg levels in patients with OSCC and compare them with those of healthy individuals for Mg to serve as a diagnostic tool. A case-control study was performed on 36 subjects with 18 per group of cases, with OSCC and control being healthy individuals. Unstimulated saliva was collected from each individual and subjected to analysis of salivary magnesium using the xylidyl blue method. The mean salivary Mg levels in patients with OSCC and healthy individuals did not exhibit a statistically significant difference using the ANOVA test. The comparison of salivary Mg in patients with OSCC and healthy individuals did not provide sufficient evidence of Mg as an alleged diagnostic tool or a potential biomarker for OSCC.