Objective: To evaluate resistin levels in the saliva of patients with chronic periodontitis, and healthy subjects. Methods: Thirty-four subjects aged between 25 and 50 years were included and divided into healthy group (n = 19) and chronic periodontitis group (n = 15). The saliva levels of resistin were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Comparisons of resistin levels between the two groups were made with the Mann-Whitney Test. Results: The chronic periodontitis group showed significantly higher resistin levels than the control group (P = 0.001). Conclusion: The level of resistin in saliva might help to determine the inflammatory status of periodontal diseases. Keywords: periodontitis, resistin, saliva