OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to determine whether plasma levels of white blood corpuscles (WBCs) and platelets were altered in patients with chronic periodontitis compared to healthy controls. METHODS A total of 120 subjects, 60 with chronic periodontitis and 60 with healthy periodontium of age group 30-50 years were selected for the study. Oral hygiene status and pocket probing depth were measured. During clinical evaluation, venous blood samples were taken to analyze the WBC and platelet counts. Statistical analysis was utilized to compare differences across various groups. RESULTS The WBC count was higher in patients with chronic periodontitis when compared with controls whereas the platelet count was lower in the case group. CONCLUSIONS Elevated WBC count plays a key role in chronic periodontitis and in turn a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, there is no significant role of platelets in periodontal infection even though it has a major role in atherogenesis. Key words:Periodontitis, white blood cells, platelets, cardiovascular diseases.