Periodontal complications with age

The present literature review on periodontal complications in aging focuses on the diagnosis, etiology and development of periodontal complications as a complete entity. In addition, the review also focuses on some of the common systemic diseases that either may further add to periodontal complications or, as result of anti‐inflammatory treatment, limit the expression of periodontal disease. There is no evidence to suggest that clinical methods to provide periodontal therapies have been developed especially for older individuals. There is evidence that aging can be associated with periodontally healthy conditions through life and with a high level of tooth retention and function. Periodontal complications that are difficult to manage are usually associated with concurrent medical diseases and complications, or with socio‐economic factors that limit the ability to provide dental care for the aging population. Currently, some systemic medical conditions are managed with anti‐inflammatory medications with positive effects, while slowing the progression and expression of chronic periodontitis. The lack of data from clinical studies on how to manage periodontal complications in aging is obvious.     

Periodontal innate immune mechanisms relevant to obesity

Obesity affects over 35% of the adult population of the USA, and obesity‐related illnesses have emerged as the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Obesity's secondary morbidities include increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and cancer, in addition to increased occurrence and severity of infections. Sedentary lifestyle and weight gain caused by consumption of a high‐fat diet contribute to the development of obesity, with individuals having a body mass index (BMI) score > 30 being considered obese. Genetic models of obesity (ob/ob mice, db/db mice, and fa/fa rats) have been insufficient to study human obesity because of the overall lack of genetic causes for obesity in human populations. To date, the diet‐induced obese (DIO) mouse model best serves research studies relevant to human health. Periodontal disease presents with a wide range of clinical variability and severity. Research in the past decade has shed substantial light on both the initiating infectious agents and host immunological responses in periodontal disease. Up to 46% of the general population harbors the microorganism(s) associated with periodontal disease, although many are able to limit the progression of periodontal disease or even clear the organism(s) if infected. In the last decade, several epidemiological studies have found an association between obesity and increased incidence of periodontal disease. This review focuses on exploring the immunological consequences of obesity that exacerbate effects of infection by pathogens, with focus on infection by the periodontal bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis as a running example.     

Periodontal inflammation and insulin resistance--lessons from obesity.

Recent attention has been focused on our understanding of the negative influences of oral chronic inflammation on systemic health. Successful periodontal treatment appears to have beneficial effects on the metabolic control of type 2 diabetes. Although type 2 diabetes is a multiple-risk-factor syndrome, lowered insulin sensitivity, called insulin resistance, is essential in developing the disease. Pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), produced from adipose tissues in obese subjects, is known to play a predominant role in inducing insulin resistance. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that anti-infectious periodontal treatment may improve metabolic control of diabetes via improved insulin sensitivity by reducing peripheral TNF-alpha concentration. In this review, we summarize the nature of insulin resistance and discuss the mechanisms by which insulin sensitivity is influenced by chronic inflammation, such as in periodontal disease.     

Periodontal disease: associations with diabetes, glycemic control and complications

Objective:  This report reviews the evidence for adverse effects of diabetes on periodontal health and periodontal disease on glycemic control and complications of diabetes.
Design:  MEDLINE search of the English language literature identified primary research reports published on (a) relationships between diabetes and periodontal diseases since 2000 and (b) effects of periodontal infection on glycemic control and diabetes complications since 1960.
Results:  Observational studies provided consistent evidence of greater prevalence, severity, extent, or progression of at least one manifestation of periodontal disease in 13/17 reports reviewed. Treatment and longitudinal observational studies provided evidence to support periodontal infection having an adverse effect on glycemic control, although not all investigations reported an improvement in glycemic control after periodontal treatment. Additionally, evidence from three observational studies supported periodontal disease increasing the risk for diabetes complications and no published reports refuted the findings.
Conclusion:  The evidence reviewed supports diabetes having an adverse effect on periodontal health and periodontal infection having an adverse effect on glycemic control and incidence of diabetes complications. Further rigorous study is necessary to establish unequivocally that treating periodontal infections can contribute to glycemic control management and to the reduction of the burden of diabetes complications.     

Periodontal complications of hyperglycemia/diabetes mellitus: Epidemiologic complexity and clinical challenge

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the adverse effects of hyperglycemia on the periodontium. It combines data from literature reviews of original data from two large, population‐based epidemiologic studies with comprehensive periodontal health assessment. Emphasis is placed on the exploration of hitherto sparsely reported effects of prediabetes and poorly controlled (uncontrolled) diabetes, in contrast to the umbrella term “diabetes.” This stems from the realization that it is not simply having a diagnosis of diabetes that may adversely affect periodontal health. Rather, it is the level (severity) of hyperglycemia that is the determining factor, not the case definition of the diagnosis of diabetes or the type of diabetes in question. Importantly, based on existing evidence this paper also attempts to estimate the improvements in periodontal probing depth and clinical attachment level that can be expected upon successful nonsurgical periodontal treatment in people with chronic periodontitis, with and without diabetes, respectively. This exploration includes the implentation of new systematic reviews and meta‐analyses that allow comparison of such intervention outcomes between hyperglycemic and normoglycemic subjects. Based on both existing literature and original analyses of population‐based studies, we try to answer questions such as: Is there a glycated hemoglobin concentration threshold for periodontitis risk? Does short‐term periodontal probing depth reduction and clinical attachment level gain after scaling and root planing depend on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes? Are short‐term scaling and root planing outcomes in people with hyperglycemia/diabetes inferior to those in people without diabetes? Do periodontitis patients with diabetes benefit more from the use of adjuvant antibiotics with nonsurgical periodontal treatment than people without diabetes? Does hyperglycemia lead to greater tooth loss in patients in long‐term post‐periodontal treatment maintenance programs? Throughout this review, we compare our new findings with previous data and report whether the results of these new analyses corroborate, or are in discord with, similar scientific reports in the literature. We also explore the potential role of dental health‐care professionals in helping patients control the risk factors that are identical for periodontitis and diabetes. Finally, we suggest various topics that still need exploration in future research.     

牙周非手术治疗对慢性肾病伴牙周炎患者牙周状况及血清C反应蛋白的影响

目的：探讨牙周非手术治疗对慢性肾病（CKD）伴牙周炎患者牙周状况及血清C反应蛋白（CRP）的影响。方法：分两组,A组为无全身严重疾病的牙周炎中老年患者38例,B组为伴慢性肾病的牙周炎中老年患者46例,两组均进行牙周非手术治疗,于牙周治疗前、后3个月分别检测其血清CRP及牙周指标。结果：A组治疗前牙周状况与B组相比,差异非常显著（P〈0.01）。两组患者治疗后牙周状况与治疗前均有改善,差异非常显著（P〈0.01）,A组的治疗效果好于B组,差异有显著性（P〈0.01）。治疗后A组患者血清CRP与治疗前有明显降低,差异非常显著（P〈0.01）,B组患者CRP与治疗前也有降低,差异有显著性（P〈0.05）。患者血清CRP与BOP、PD、AL等指标均呈正相关（P〈0.05）。结论：牙周非手术治疗可能通过改善牙周状况而降低慢性肾病伴牙周炎患者的血清CRP水平。     

Periodontal status associated with chronic neutropenia

A case of chronic neutropenia in a 12-year-old boy is reported. The patient presented with severe gingival inflammation and alveolar bone loss. Immunologic analysis of the patient's serum revealed the presence of precipitating antibodies against antigenic components of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans Y4 and 652. It was also found that the serum neutralized the leukotoxic activity of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans Y4. The etiology and the pathogenesis of periodontal disease in neutropenic patients are discussed in view of these findings.     

A comparison of WHO Periodontal Status Index with the Periodontal and Oral Hygiene Indices

Examination of 2,138 subjects, aged 15-65+ years, was carried out by calibrated examiners using mirrors and fibre optic illumination. Each subject was scored by the Periodontal Status Index, PSI (WHO Oral Health Surveys), Periodontal Index, PI (Russell) and the Oral Hygiene Index, OHI (Greene & Vermillion). For the PSI, PI and OHI all scores were age-dependent with the exception of soft deposits in PSI and OHI, which were age-independent. The advantages of the PSI system were considered to be the ease of scoring and the opportunity to assess treatment requirements, in terms of time, at the public health service level. Disadvantages were lack of quantitation, difficulties of diagnosis of intense gingivitis, and localized and general conditions. The PI and OHI systems provided a more objective, quantitative and sensitive basis of scoring than the PSI. Statistical tests showed the respective indices are associated and measuring the same kind of criteria. Examiner calibration and consistency were similar for both scoring systems.     

Periodontal osseous defects treated with tricalcium phosphate

A five year clinical research, dealing with advanced periodontal disease, leads the author to assert that periodontal pocket grafts with the so called "osteogenic" material tricalcium phosphate results in unsuccessful outcomes, especially if compared to the success of simple non surgical procedures, consisting of repeated scaling and curettage.     

Periodontal lesions associated with deep traumatic overbite

Certain aspects of malocclusion, particularly deep overbite, can be related to periodontal pathology, especially in the presence of poor oral hygiene. The authors have noted an association between deep overbite and unusual periodontal lesions. These lesions often appear on radiographs as circumscribed radiolucencies, remote from the alveolar crest and sometimes close to the apex. Gingival surface injury and food impaction may be important aetiological factors. This is illustrated in this article by a number of case studies.