Background
In Europe cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for 3.9 million deaths (45% of deaths), being ischaemic heart disease, stroke, hypertension (leading to heart failure) the major cause ...of these CVD related deaths. Periodontitis is also a chronic non‐communicable disease (NCD) with a high prevalence, being severe periodontitis, affecting 11.2% of the world's population, the sixth most common human disease.
Material and Methods
There is now a significant body of evidence to support independent associations between severe periodontitis and several NCDs, in particular CVD. In 2012 a joint workshop was held between the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and the American Academy of Periodontology to review the literature relating periodontitis and systemic diseases, including CVD. In the last five years important new scientific information has emerged providing important emerging evidence to support these associations
Results and Conclusions
The present review reports the proceedings of the workshop jointly organised by the EFP and the World Heart Federation (WHF), which has updated the existing epidemiological evidence for significant associations between periodontitis and CVD, the mechanistic links and the impact of periodontal therapy on cardiovascular and surrogate outcomes. This review has also focused on the potential risk and complications of periodontal therapy in patients on anti thrombotic therapy and has made recommendations for dentists, physicians and for patients visiting both the dental and medical practices.
Periodontal health is defined by absence of clinically detectable inflammation. There is a biological level of immune surveillance that is consistent with clinical gingival health and homeostasis. ...Clinical gingival health may be found in a periodontium that is intact, i.e. without clinical attachment loss or bone loss, and on a reduced periodontium in either a non‐periodontitis patient (e.g. in patients with some form of gingival recession or following crown lengthening surgery) or in a patient with a history of periodontitis who is currently periodontally stable. Clinical gingival health can be restored following treatment of gingivitis and periodontitis. However, the treated and stable periodontitis patient with current gingival health remains at increased risk of recurrent periodontitis, and accordingly, must be closely monitored.
Two broad categories of gingival diseases include non‐dental plaque biofilm–induced gingival diseases and dental plaque‐induced gingivitis. Non‐dental plaque biofilm‐induced gingival diseases include a variety of conditions that are not caused by plaque and usually do not resolve following plaque removal. Such lesions may be manifestations of a systemic condition or may be localized to the oral cavity. Dental plaque‐induced gingivitis has a variety of clinical signs and symptoms, and both local predisposing factors and systemic modifying factors can affect its extent, severity, and progression. Dental plaque‐induced gingivitis may arise on an intact periodontium or on a reduced periodontium in either a non‐periodontitis patient or in a currently stable “periodontitis patient” i.e. successfully treated, in whom clinical inflammation has been eliminated (or substantially reduced). A periodontitis patient with gingival inflammation remains a periodontitis patient (Figure 1), and comprehensive risk assessment and management are imperative to ensure early prevention and/or treatment of recurrent/progressive periodontitis.
Precision dental medicine defines a patient‐centered approach to care, and therefore, creates differences in the way in which a “case” of gingival health or gingivitis is defined for clinical practice as opposed to epidemiologically in population prevalence surveys. Thus, case definitions of gingival health and gingivitis are presented for both purposes. While gingival health and gingivitis have many clinical features, case definitions are primarily predicated on presence or absence of bleeding on probing. Here we classify gingival health and gingival diseases/conditions, along with a summary table of diagnostic features for defining health and gingivitis in various clinical situations.
This study aims to evaluate the influence of the additional use of enamel matrix derivate (EMD) in the treatment of gingival recession defects using a coronally advanced flap (CAF) and a xenogeneic ...dermal matrix (XDM) by means of digital and clinical assessment methods. In this prospective randomized controlled study, recession height and area, width and thickness of keratinized gingiva, pocket probing depth, and clinical attachment levels were measured at the baseline and followed up for one year. Fifteen patients (n = 15) with 24 gingival recession defects were treated between 2019 and 2021. On average, the digitally assessed root coverage of the control group (CAF + XDM) was not significantly different compared to the test group (CAF + XDM + EMD), with 69 ± 28% and 36 ± 32%, respectively (p = 0.094). One year postoperatively, there were no differences found regarding keratinized tissue width (KTW) between the control group and test group (p = 0.690). However, the control group showed superior results in the thickness of keratinized gingiva (p = 0.044). The present study showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the root coverage results in the CAF + XDM + EMD group compared to the CAF + XDM group. The adjunctive use of EMD to a CAF and XDM in the treatment of gingival recession defects does not appear to have any clinical benefit.
Aim: A randomized‐controlled clinical pilot trial was designed to evaluate photodynamic therapy (PDT) for its bactericidal potential and clinical effect in the treatment of periodontitis.
Material ...and Methods: Fifty‐eight subjects with chronic periodontitis were included. Each subject exhibited at least three active periodontal pockets 5 mm or deeper, bleeding on probing and the presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis. Subjects were randomly assigned to a control group treated by subgingival ultrasound only or to a study group additionally treated by PDT. Baseline clinical values of gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depths and clinical attachment levels were recorded and re‐evaluated 90 days later. Pathogen screening for P. gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia and Treponema denticola was conducted at baseline as well as 10, 42 and 90 days after treatment.
Results: P. gingivalis was significantly reduced in both groups (laser group: p=0.020; control group: p=0.042). No significant reductions of T. forsythia and T. denticola were observed in either group. For the microbial parameters, no significant difference was found between the laser and the control group. All clinical parameters were significantly reduced in both groups after treatment. The mean probing pocket depths decreased from 5.79 to 4.55 mm in the laser group and from 5.54 to 4.51 in the control group. The intergroup difference was not significant (p=0.82). Bleeding on probing was reduced from 100% evaluated at baseline to 47% in the laser group and 59% in the control group. The intergroup difference was not significant (p=0.28). No significant differences were observed in any other parameters.
Conclusion: Application of a single cycle of PDT was not effective as an adjunct to ultrasonic periodontal treatment. There were no extra reductions in pocket depths and bleeding on probing. With regard to eradicating bacteria, however, there are no additional effects as compared with conventional treatment alone.
Objectives
Periodontitis and diabetes are known to have a bidirectional relationship. Diabetic macular edema is a complication of diabetes that is strongly influenced by inflammatory pathways. ...However, it remains to be established whether inflammation at other locations, such as periodontitis, affects diabetic macular edema. Here, we investigated the prevalence of periodontitis in patients treated for diabetic macular edema.
Materials and methods
Patients with diabetic macular edema were recruited for this cross-sectional study at the Medical University of Graz. Macular edema was documented by optical coherence tomography. Periodontal status was assessed by computerized periodontal probing and panoramic X-ray imaging. Bleeding on probing, clinical attachment level, probing pocket depth, and plaque index were compared between different stages of diabetic retinopathy.
Results
Eighty-three eyes of 45 patients with diabetic macular edema were enrolled. Forty-four eyes (53.0%) had early stages of diabetic retinopathy (mild and moderate), and 39 eyes (47.0%) had late stages (severe and proliferative). Patients with mild or moderate DR were more likely to have more severe periodontal conditions than patients with severe or proliferative DR. Fourteen patients with mild DR (82.4%), 7 patients with moderate DR (87.5%), 4 patients with severe DR (100.0%), and 15 patients with proliferative DR (93.8%) had some degree of PD. The periodontal inflamed surface areas and the percentages of tooth sites that bled on probing were significantly higher in patients with early stages of diabetic retinopathy than in those with late stages of the disease (p < 0.05). Patients with periodontal inflamed surface areas of more than 500 mm
2
required significantly more intravitreal injections in the last year than those with milder forms of periodontitis (n = 6.9 ± 3.1 versus n = 5.0 ± 3.5,
p
= 0.03).
Conclusion
In patients with diabetic macular edema, periodontitis is more prevalent in early stages of diabetic retinopathy. We suggest regular dental check-ups for diabetic patients, especially when diabetic macular edema is already present.
Clinical relevance
Patients with diabetic macular edema should be screened for periodontitis and vice versa, particularly early in the course of diabetes.
Background: Pre‐term birth is a major cause of infant mortality and morbidity that has considerable societal, medical, and economic costs. The rate of pre‐term birth appears to be increasing ...world‐wide and efforts to prevent or reduce its prevalence have been largely unsuccessful.
Aim: To review the literature for studies investigating periodontal disease as a possible risk factor for pre‐term birth and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Main Findings and Conclusion: Variability among studies in definitions of periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes as well as widespread inadequate control for confounding factors and possible effect modification make it difficult to base meaningful conclusions on published data. However, while there are indications of an association between periodontal disease and increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome in some populations, there is no conclusive evidence that treating periodontal disease improves birth outcome. Based on a critical qualitative review, available evidence from clinical trials indicates that, although non‐surgical mechanical periodontal treatment in the second trimester of pregnancy is safe and effective in reducing signs of maternal periodontal disease, it does not reduce the rate of pre‐term birth. Clinical trials currently underway will further clarify the potential role of periodontal therapy in preventing adverse birth outcomes. Regardless of the outcomes of these trials, it is recommended that large, prospective cohort studies be conducted to assess risk for adverse pregnancy outcome in populations with periodontal disease. It is critical that periodontal exposure and adverse birth outcomes be clearly defined and the many potential confounding factors and possible effect modifiers for adverse pregnancy outcome be controlled in these studies. If periodontal disease is associated with higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcome in these specific populations, large multicenter randomized‐controlled trials will be needed to determine if prevention or treatment of periodontal disease, perhaps combined with other interventions, has an effect on adverse pregnancy outcome in these women.
Oral biofilm studies based on simplified experimental setups are difficult to interpret. Models are limited mostly by the number of bacterial species observed and the insufficiency of artificial ...media. Few studies have attempted to overcome these limitations and to cultivate native oral biofilm.
This study aimed to grow oral biofilm
before transfer to a biofilm reactor for
incubation. The
survival of this oral biofilm and the changes in bacterial composition over time were observed.
Six human enamel-dentin slabs embedded buccally in dental splints were used as biofilm carriers. Fitted individually to the upper jaw of 25 non-smoking male volunteers, the splints were worn continuously for 48 h. During this time, tooth-brushing and alcohol-consumption were not permitted. The biofilm was then transferred on slabs into a biofilm reactor and incubated there for 48 h while being nourished in BHI medium. Live/dead staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to observe bacterial survival over four points in time: directly after removal (T0) and after 1 (T1), 24 (T2), and 48 h (T3) of incubation. Bacterial diversity at T0 and T3 was compared with 454-pyrosequencing. Fluorescence
hybridization (FISH) was performed to show specific taxa. Survival curves were calculated with a specially designed MATLAB script. Acacia and QIIME 1.9.1 were used to process pyrosequencing data. SPSS 21.0 and R 3.3.1 were used for statistical analysis.
After initial fluctuations at T1, survival curves mostly showed approximation of the bacterial numbers to the initial level at T3. Pyrosequencing analysis resulted in 117 OTUs common to all samples. The genera
and
(both
) dominated at T0 and T3. They make up two thirds of the biofilm. Genera with lower relative abundance had grown significantly at T3. FISH analysis confirmed the pyrosequencing results, i.e., the predominant staining of
.
We demonstrate the
survival of native primary oral biofilm in its natural complexity over 48 h. Our results offer a baseline for cultivation studies of native oral biofilms in (phyto-) pharmacological and dental materials research. Further investigations and validation of culturing conditions could also facilitate the study of biofilm-induced diseases.
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the early stage of bone healing was demonstrated as a positive local biostimulative effect. It was also shown that platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and nanohydroxyapatite ...alloplast (NanoHA) are effective in treating periodontal intrabony defects.
The study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of LLLT (810 nm), PRF and NanoHA on induced intrabony periodontal defects healing.
The study was conducted on 16 defects in 8 adult male rabbits (n = 16) divided into 4 groups; Control non-treated group (C), laser irradiated control group (CL), PRF+NanoHA graft (NanoHA-Graft+PRF) treated group and laser irradiated and treated group (NanoHA-Graft+PRF+L). CT radiography was made at baseline, 15 and 30 days later. The defects were induced in the form of one osseous wall defects of 10 mm height, 4 mm depth between the 1
and the 2
molars using a tapered fissure drill coupled to a high-speed motor. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA.
(NanoHA-Graft+PRF+L) group significantly produced bone density higher than C, CL and NanoHA-G+PRF alone.
The combination of LLLT+PRF+NanoHA as a treatment modality induced the best results in bone formation in the bone defect more than LLLT alone or PRF+NanoHA alone.