Background: Tobacco smoking is one of the known risk factors for developing oral cancer. Sialic acid is a glycoprotein that is considered as an important constituent of cell membrane. Any alteration to this glycoprotein can leads to malignant transformation. It has been well established by the previous studies that there is an elevation in salivary sialic acid even before development of clinical symptoms in patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of salivary sialic acid as a screening tool for the prediction of potentially malignant as well as malignant lesions in smokers. Materials and Methods: Eighty subjects were included in this study; they were divided into the two groups consisting of 40 participants. Group 1 –Healthy individuals with good oral hygiene and no habit of smoking. Group II- Individuals who are tobacco smokers, with a frequency of at least 5 cigarettes/day. Unstimulated saliva was collected using the spitting method directly into a sterile container. Biochemical analysis of saliva was done using ninhydrine reagent for the estimation of total Salivary sialic acid levels Results: A statistically significant increase in salivary sialic acid level were noted in subjects with habit of smoking when compared to controls. Conclusions: In conclusion, the significant raise of salivary SA in individual with tobacco smoking could be an indicator of early biochemical changes denoting malignant transformation of the cell.