Sensory profiling of volatile organic compounds in the early assessment of oral cavity status

Abstract

The condition of the oral cavity is determined not only by the severity of clinical manifestations but also by earlier changes in the local chemical environment, which may precede visually detectable signs of pathology. In this regard, the search for non-invasive approaches capable of complementing traditional dental assessment is of considerable scientific and practical interest. The aim of this study was a clinical evaluation of the potential of sensory profiling of volatile organic compounds as a non-invasive approach for early assessment of oral cavity status in an expanded sample, as well as the determination of the informativeness of integral and normalized sensory parameters.
Materials and methods.
The study included 60 participants divided into three groups of 20 individuals each: a control group, a group of electronic cigarette users, and a group of tobacco smokers. Sensory measurements were performed at three time points during dynamic observation: at baseline, 10 minutes, and 20 minutes after exposure. A piezoelectric quartz sensor with a hydroxyapatite-based sensitive coating was used. The amplitude parameter MaxΔ, the integral parameter S, and normalized coefficients K1 and K2 reflecting signal changes relative to the baseline level were analyzed.
Results.
The proposed protocol demonstrated satisfactory reproducibility of sensory measurements, with a coefficient of variation ranging from 15.1% to 16.2%. The integral response parameter S was found to be the most informative indicator. The normalized coefficient K1 was 0.96 in the control group, 1.95 in electronic cigarette users, and 3.26 in conventional tobacco smokers. The use of normalization improved data comparability and enhanced the visualization of differences between the study groups. The most pronounced sensory response was observed in the tobacco smoking group, while intermediate values were recorded in electronic cigarette users. No directed increase in the integral sensory signal was detected in the control group.
Conclusion.
The findings indicate that sensory profiling of volatile organic compounds can be considered a promising non-invasive approach for assessing oral cavity condition. Integral sensory parameters and their normalized values are potentially suitable for early detection of abnormalities, clinical stratification, and dynamic monitoring in dental practice.