Disparities and social determinants of periodontal diseases.

Periodontal diseases are highly prevalent in populations worldwide and are a major global public health problem, with major negative impacts on individuals and communities. This study investigates evidence of disparities in periodontal diseases by age groups, gender, and socioeconomic factors. There is ample evidence that these diseases disproportionally affect poorer and marginalized groups and are closely associated with certain demographics and socioeconomic status. Disparities in periodontal health are associated with social inequalities, which in turn are caused by old age, gender inequality, income and education gaps, access to health care, social class, and other factors. In health care, these factors may result in some individuals receiving better and more professional care compared to others. This study also reviews the potential causes of these disparities and the means to bridge the gap in disease prevalence. Identifying and implementing effective strategies to eliminate inequities among minorities and marginalized groups in oral health status and dental care should be prioritized in populations globally.

Effect of osteoarthritis on alveolar bone loss in experimental periodontitis in rats.

BACKGROUND: There is scarce information about the relationship between periodontal disease and osteoarthritis. This study investigated the effect of surgically induced osteoarthritis on alveolar bone loss in experimental periodontitis in rats. METHODS: 12 rats were divided into test and control groups. On day 1, the animals were anaesthetized, and silk ligatures were ligated around 6 maxillary posterior teeth in each animal from both groups. Surgical induction of osteoarthritis was performed on the left knees in the test group. No knee surgeries were performed in the control group. The ligatures were kept in place for 30 days, at which time the animals were euthanatized, and the maxillae and knee joints were harvested and processed for histological analysis. The alveolar bone loss was assessed using a zoom stereomicroscope. RESULTS: The knee joint histologic sections of the control group showed normal joint features, whereas in the test group there were substantial changes typical of osteoarthritis, including wide joint spaces, prominent monocytic infiltration of the synovium, invasion of periarticular bone, and decreased chondrocyte density. Comparison of the bone height between the groups showed a significantly higher bone loss in the test than in the control group The marginal mean bone height, adjusted for covariates and the intraclass correlation between sites, was 1.19 and 0.78 mm in the test and control groups, respectively (p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Surgically induced osteoarthritis leads to greater alveolar bone loss in the experimental periodontitis model in rats.

National survey of periodontal diseases in adolescents and young adults in Morocco.

AIM: National surveys of periodontal diseases in children are rare. This study describes the first national survey of oral health of adolescents attending public schools in Morocco. We report the prevalence and demographic determinants of periodontal diseases, and generate population estimates for this young population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study used a multi-stage probability sample comprising 14,667 students in 87 schools and 520 classrooms, representative of students attending grades 6-12 (age 12-18 years) in Morocco. The students were interviewed and then examined clinically to assess their periodontal status, which was classified according to the 2017 World Workshop. In addition, the diagnosis of aggressive periodontitis (AgP) was assessed. RESULTS: Of approximately 3 million students in this age cohort, 12.3% (or approximately 360,894 subjects) had periodontitis and 46.9% (1.4 million) had gingivitis. They comprised 10.8%, 2.9%, and 6.1% subjects with periodontitis stage I, II, and III/IV, respectively; 5.0%, or 148,336 subjects, had AgP. The prevalence rates were not significantly different by gender or urban status. However, the prevalence of AgP was particularly high in certain regions of Morocco. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of staged periodontitis and AgP in this young population is among the highest reported in national surveys worldwide.

Periodontitis stage and grade are associated with poor oral-health-related quality of life: Findings from the Porto Alegre cohort study.

AIM: To determine the association between periodontitis stage and grade with oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cohort was derived from the Porto Alegre study. The original sample was representative of more than 3 million inhabitants of a Brazilian urban area. Full-mouth periodontal examinations at six sites per tooth were performed at baseline and 5 years later. Periodontitis grade was determined by direct evidence of progression of attachment loss over the follow-up. Stage of periodontitis and OHRQoL, determined by the oral health impact profile version 14 (OHIP-14), were recorded at the follow-up examination. Mean ratios (MRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated adjusting for age, sex, smoking, systemic diseases, tooth loss, and baseline periodontitis diagnosis. RESULTS: Five-hundred and ninety-nine individuals were analysed. Individuals with periodontitis grade C + stage II (MR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.08-2.04) and stages III/IV (MR = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.25-2.66) had significantly higher OHIP scores than those without periodontitis or with periodontitis stage I/grade B. Individuals with periodontitis stages II and III/IV + grade B did not differ from those without periodontitis or with periodontitis stage I/grade B. CONCLUSION: Severity and progression rate of periodontitis are associated with poor OHRQoL.

Obesity as a risk factor for tooth loss over 5 years: A population-based cohort study.

AIM: To assess obesity as a risk factor for tooth loss over 5 years in an urban sample of Brazilian adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1586 individuals were surveyed using a multistage probabilistic approach. Five years later, 635 individuals 14-64 years old were re-examined. An incident case of tooth loss was determined for a participant that had lost at least one tooth over time. Obesity was evaluated by calculating body mass index at baseline and by the change in obesity status over time. RESULTS: Incident cases of tooth loss were significantly more frequent among obese (47.1%) than normal-weight individuals (32.4%) (p = .004). Obese individuals had 31% higher risk [relative risk (RR) =1.31; 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 1.04-1.65] for tooth loss than normal-weight individuals adjusting for age, socio-economic status, smoking, dental care and periodontitis. This association was significant for females (RR=1.47, 95%CI 1.08-2.01), but not for males. The risk for tooth loss was also modified by presence of periodontitis at baseline and lifetime smoking exposure. There was an increased risk for tooth loss for those that remained obese than those that remained normal weight. CONCLUSION: Obesity is associated with higher risk for tooth loss. This association was modified by sex, periodontal status and smoking.

Manifestations of systemic diseases and conditions that affect the periodontal attachment apparatus: Case definitions and diagnostic considerations.

OBJECTIVES: This review proposes case definitions and diagnostic considerations of systemic disorders and conditions that affect the periodontal attachment apparatus. IMPORTANCE: Periodontal diseases and certain systemic disorders share similar genetic and/or environmental etiological factors, and affected patients may show manifestations of both diseases. Characterizing these diseases and the nature of the association between them could have important diagnostic value and therapeutic implications for patients. FINDINGS: Numerous systemic disorders and certain medications can affect the periodontal attachment apparatus and cause loss of periodontal attachment and alveolar bone. Although many of these disorders are rare or uncommon, they often cause significant loss of periodontal tissue by influencing periodontal inflammation or through mechanisms distinct from periodontitis. Most of these disorders are due to innate mechanisms and some are acquired via environmental factors or lifestyle. Several disorders affect periodontal inflammation through alterations in the host immune response to periodontal infection; others cause defects in the gingiva or periodontal connective tissue, instigate metabolic changes in the host that affect various tissues of the periodontal apparatus, or operate by other mechanisms. For some systemic disorders that are more common, their contribution to the loss of periodontal tissue is modest, while for others, contribution is not supported by clear evidence. Few systemic medications are associated with increased loss of periodontal tissue, and these are typically medications used in the treatment of malignancies. CONCLUSIONS: This review identifies systemic diseases and conditions that can affect the periodontal attachment apparatus and cause loss of periodontal supporting tissues and, where possible, presents case definitions for these. Many of these diseases are associated with a profound loss of periodontal attachment and alveolar bone, and for some of these disorders the periodontal manifestations may be among the first signs of the disease. These case definitions may be useful in the early diagnosis of these diseases and may contribute to an improvement in the management of periodontal manifestations and improve the quality of life for these patients.

Periodontal manifestations of systemic diseases and developmental and acquired conditions: Consensus report of workgroup 3 of the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions.

BACKGROUND: A variety of systemic diseases and conditions can affect the course of periodontitis or have a negative impact on the periodontal attachment apparatus. Gingival recessions are highly prevalent and often associated with hypersensitivity, the development of caries and non-carious cervical lesions on the exposed root surface and impaired esthetics. Occlusal forces can result in injury of teeth and periodontal attachment apparatus. Several developmental or acquired conditions associated with teeth or prostheses may predispose to diseases of the periodontium. The aim of this working group was to review and update the 1999 classification with regard to these diseases and conditions, and to develop case definitions and diagnostic considerations. METHODS: Discussions were informed by four reviews on 1) periodontal manifestions of systemic diseases and conditions; 2) mucogingival conditions around natural teeth; 3) traumatic occlusal forces and occlusal trauma; and 4) dental prostheses and tooth related factors. This consensus report is based on the results of these reviews and on expert opinion of the participants. RESULTS: Key findings included the following: 1) there are mainly rare systemic conditions (such as Papillon-Lefevre Syndrome, leucocyte adhesion deficiency, and others) with a major effect on the course of periodontitis and more common conditions (such as diabetes mellitus) with variable effects, as well as conditions affecting the periodontal apparatus independently of dental plaque biofilm-induced inflammation (such as neoplastic diseases); 2) diabetes-associated periodontitis should not be regarded as a distinct diagnosis, but diabetes should be recognized as an important modifying factor and included in a clinical diagnosis of periodontitis as a descriptor; 3) likewise, tobacco smoking - now considered a dependence to nicotine and a chronic relapsing medical disorder with major adverse effects on the periodontal supporting tissues - is an important modifier to be included in a clinical diagnosis of periodontitis as a descriptor; 4) the importance of the gingival phenotype, encompassing gingival thickness and width in the context of mucogingival conditions, is recognized and a novel classification for gingival recessions is introduced; 5) there is no evidence that traumatic occlusal forces lead to periodontal attachment loss, non-carious cervical lesions, or gingival recessions; 6) traumatic occlusal forces lead to adaptive mobility in teeth with normal support, whereas they lead to progressive mobility in teeth with reduced support, usually requiring splinting; 7) the term biologic width is replaced by supracrestal tissue attachment consisting of junctional epithelium and supracrestal connective tissue; 8) infringement of restorative margins within the supracrestal connective tissue attachment is associated with inflammation and/or loss of periodontal supporting tissue. However, it is not evident whether the negative effects on the periodontium are caused by dental plaque biofilm, trauma, toxicity of dental materials or a combination of these factors; 9) tooth anatomical factors are related to dental plaque biofilm-induced gingival inflammation and loss of periodontal supporting tissues. CONCLUSION: An updated classification of the periodontal manifestations and conditions affecting the course of periodontitis and the periodontal attachment apparatus, as well as of developmental and acquired conditions, is introduced. Case definitions and diagnostic considerations are also presented.

Effect of obesity on periodontal attachment loss progression: a 5-year population-based prospective study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of overweight and obesity on periodontal attachment loss (PAL) progression in an urban population from south Brazil. METHODS: In 2001, a population-based oral health survey entitled "Epidemiology of periodontal diseases: the Porto Alegre Study" was conducted by drawing a probabilistic sample of 1586 individuals. After 5 years, 755 (participation rate: 47.6%) individuals were re-examined. For this analysis, self-reported diabetics, underweight individuals, and individuals with <6 teeth were excluded. Poisson regressions were used to calculate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for sex, age, skin colour, education, socio-economic status, smoking and dental care. RESULTS: Five hundred and eighty-two individuals (333 males/249 females, 36.02 ± 14.97 years) were included. Overall, obese individuals had significantly higher risk of experiencing PAL progression than individuals with normal weight after adjusting for important co-factors (RR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.04-1.78). In a stratified analysis, no statistically significant associations were observed between PAL progression and obesity for males (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 0.75-1.69), whereas obese females were at statistically significant higher risk than normal weight females (RR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.11-2.43). CONCLUSION: Obesity appears to be a risk factor for PAL progression for females but not males in this developing country population.

Aggressive and chronic periodontitis in a population of Moroccan school students.

AIM: This study assessed the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and demographics of chronic and aggressive periodontitis in a representative sample drawn from a subpopulation in Morocco. MATERIALS & METHODS: Eight hundred and thirty students representative of 12+ years old attending schools in the Province of Benslimane, Morocco were selected by a multi-phased, probability sampling. Their age was 12-25 years (mean: 16.1 years) and comprised of 50% males and 50% females. Chronic and aggressive periodontitis were determined clinically. RESULTS: A total of 31% and 10.1% of the subjects had ≥4 mm and ≥6 mm attachment loss, respectively; 4.9% had aggressive periodontitis, and 6.4% had chronic periodontitis. Subjects with chronic periodontitis typically had 4-5 mm attachment loss affecting a few molars or premolars. Subjects with aggressive periodontitis had ≥5 mm attachment loss affecting multiple teeth, and 68% and 73% of these subjects had ≥6 mm attachment loss affecting maxillary and mandibular molars respectively. Attachment loss and periodontitis were significantly more prevalent in the 19-25 years group, than the 12-18 years age group. There were no significant differences in disease prevalence by gender or ethnic groups (Arab versus Berber). CONCLUSION: This young Moroccan population is at high risk of destructive periodontal disease, and further studies are indicated to investigate the biological and environmental factors that may contribute to the increased risk of disease in this population.

Systematic review of the in vitro effects of statins on oral and perioral microorganisms.

Statins are medications administered orally and are widely used for lowering the blood cholesterol level. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of orally administered statins on microorganisms infecting oral and perioral tissues. We performed a systematic review of published studies of the in vitro antimicrobial effects of statins on bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and Google scholar. Studies show that most statins exhibit antimicrobial effects against various oral microorganisms. Simvastatin is most effective against the periodontal pathogens Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis, and against most dental plaque bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans. Statins also exhibit antiviral properties against human cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus, and have antifungal properties against Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Zygomycetes spp. There were notable differences in the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) between different studies, which may be attributed to differences in study design. Further studies are warranted to ascertain if statins can be solubilized so that patients, who have been prescribed statins for cardiovascular diseases, can use the medication as a swish and swallow, giving patients the added benefit of the antimicrobial action topically in the mouth against infectious oral diseases.

Standards for reporting chronic periodontitis prevalence and severity in epidemiologic studies: Proposed standards from the Joint EU/USA Periodontal Epidemiology Working Group.

Periodontal diseases are common and their prevalence varies in different populations. However, prevalence estimates are influenced by the methodology used, including measurement techniques, case definitions, and periodontal examination protocols, as well as differences in oral health status. As a consequence, comparisons between populations are severely hampered and inferences regarding the global variation in prevalence can hardly be drawn. To overcome these limitations, the authors suggest standardized principles for the reporting of the prevalence and severity of periodontal diseases in future epidemiological studies. These principles include the comprehensive reporting of the study design, the recording protocol, and specific subject-related and oral data. Further, a range of periodontal data should be reported in the total population and within specific age groups. Periodontal data include the prevalence and extent of clinical attachment loss (CAL) and probing depth (PD) on site and tooth level according to specific thresholds, mean CAL/PD, the CDC/AAP case definition, and bleeding on probing. Consistent implementation of these standards in future studies will ensure improved reporting quality, permit meaningful comparisons of the prevalence of periodontal diseases across populations, and provide better insights into the determinants of such variation.

Description and evaluation of an intraoral cervical plexus anesthetic technique.

Unsuccessful anesthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) may be due to supplementary innervations of mandibular molars from other branches, namely the cervical plexus (CP). The purpose of this prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was to determine the effectiveness of an intraoral cervical plexus anesthetic technique (ICPAT) in mandibular molars with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIR) when the IAN and lingual nerve (LN) blocks failed, and to provide a description of the technique. Forty patients diagnosed with SIR received IAN and LN block anesthesia prior to treatment. After clinical signs of anesthesia, patients were subjected to an electrical pulp test (EPT) at 2-min cycles for 10 min post-injection. The anesthesia was considered unsuccessful if there was a positive EPT response ten minutes following profound lip numbness. The experimental group (n = 20) were administered 2% Lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine using the ICPAT. The control group (n = 20) were administered 0.9% sterile saline using the ICPAT. Success was defined as no response on two consecutive readings from an EPT. In the experimental group, 60% of subjects showed successful anesthesia, whereas none of the subjects in the control group had successful anesthesia. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the anesthesia success rate using the ICPAT method was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than in the control group, irrespective of molar tooth type. The ICPAT method may be useful as a supplementary anesthetic technique for mandibular molars with SIR in subjects whom the IAN and LN blocks do not provide adequate anesthesia.

Aggressive and acute periodontal diseases.

Inflammatory periodontal diseases are highly prevalent, although most of these diseases develop and progress slowly, often unnoticed by the affected individual. However, a subgroup of these diseases include aggressive and acute forms that have a relatively low prevalence but show a rapid-course, high rate of progression leading to severe destruction of the periodontal tissues, or cause systemic symptoms that often require urgent attention from healthcare providers. Aggressive periodontitis is an early-onset, destructive disease that shows a high rate of periodontal progression and distinctive clinical features. A contemporary case definition of this disease is presented. Population studies show that the disease is more prevalent in certain geographic regions and ethnic groups. Aggressive periodontitis is an infectious disease, and recent data show that in affected subjects the subgingival microbiota is composed of a mixed microbial infection, with a wide heterogeneity in the types and proportions of microorganisms recovered. Furthermore, there are significant differences in the microbiota of the disease among different geographic regions and ethnicities. There is also evidence that the Aggregatibacter actinomycetemycomitans-JP2 clone may play an important role in the development of the disease in certain populations. The host response plays an important role in the susceptibility to aggressive periodontitis, where the immune response may be complex and involve multiple mechanisms. Also, genetic factors seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of this disease, but the mechanisms of increased susceptibility are complex and not yet fully understood. The available data suggest that aggressive periodontitis is caused by mutations either in a few major genes or in multiple small-effect genes, and there is also evidence of gene-gene and gene-environment interaction effects. Diagnostic methods for this disease, based on a specific microbiologic, immunologic or genetic profile, currently do not exist. Genetic markers have the potential to be implemented as screening tools to identify subjects at risk. This approach may significantly enhance treatment outcome through the early detection and treatment of affected subjects, as well as using future approaches based on gene therapy. At present, the treatment of this disease is directed toward elimination of the subgingival bacterial load and other local risk factors. Adjunctive use of appropriate systemic antibiotics is recommended and may contribute to a longer suppression of the microbial infection. Other aggressive forms of periodontal diseases occur in patients who are affected with certain systemic diseases, including the leukocyte adhesion deficiency syndrome, Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome, Chediak-Higashi syndrome and Down syndrome. Management of the periodontal component of these diseases is very challenging. Acute gingival and periodontal lesions include a group of disorders that range from nondestructive to destructive forms, and these lesions are usually associated with pain and are a common reason for emergency dental consultations. Some of these lesions may cause a rapid and severe destruction of the periodontal tissues and loss of teeth. Oral infections, particularly acute infections, can spread to extra-oral sites and cause serious medical complications, and even death. Hence, prompt diagnosis and treatment are paramount.

Aggressive periodontitis: case definition and diagnostic criteria.

Aggressive periodontitis is a destructive disease characterized by the following: the involvement of multiple teeth with a distinctive pattern of periodontal tissue loss; a high rate of disease progression; an early age of onset; and the absence of systemic diseases. In some patients periodontal tissue loss may commence before puberty, whereas in most patients the age of onset is during or somewhat after the circumpubertal period. Besides infection with specific microorganisms, a host predisposition seems to play a key role in the pathogenesis of aggressive periodontitis, as evidenced by the familial aggregation of the disease. In this article we review the historical background of the diagnostic criteria of aggressive periodontitis, present a contemporary case definition and describe the clinical parameters of the disease. At present, the diagnosis of aggressive periodontitis is achieved using case history, clinical examination and radiographic evaluation. The data gathered using these methods are prone to relatively high measurement errors. Besides, this diagnostic approach measures past disease history and may not reliably measure existing disease activity or accurately predict future tissue loss. A diagnosis is often made years after the onset of the disease, partly because current assessment methods detect established disease more readily and reliably than they detect incipient or initial lesions where the tissue loss is minimal and usually below the detection threshold of present examination methods. Future advancements in understanding the pathogenesis of this disease may contribute to an earlier diagnosis. Insofar, future case definitions may involve the identification of key etiologic and risk factors, combined with high-precision methodologies that enable the early detection of initial lesions. This may significantly enhance the predictive value of these tests and detect cases of aggressive periodontitis before significant tissue loss develops.

Role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of aggressive periodontitis.

This article critically reviews the evidence for a role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of aggressive periodontitis and discusses the study approaches commonly used to identify genetic risk factors of this disease. Available data suggest that aggressive periodontitis is caused by mutations in multiple genes, combined with environmental effects. Syndromic periodontal diseases include certain monogenic disorders that express phenotypes showing aggressive forms of periodontitis, and the genetic triggering factors of most of these syndromes have been identified. Other periodontal disease phenotypes seem to occur through different genetic predisposition patterns. Case-control and genome-wide studies have been used to investigate the association with gene polymorphisms. Association studies and the familial aggregation of aggressive periodontitis suggest a significant genetic component in the increased predisposition to this disease. There is evidence to support the contribution of a few major genes or of multiple small-effects genes. In addition, there is evidence of gene-gene and gene-environment interaction effects. Early studies suggested an X-linked mode of transmission of aggressive periodontitis, and subsequent studies support an autosomal mode. Genetic studies have the potential to improve the screening programs of subjects at risk for developing aggressive periodontitis and may enhance treatment outcome through gene therapy.

Aggressive forms of periodontitis secondary to systemic disorders.

A number of systemic disorders increase a patient's susceptibility to destructive periodontitis and have impacts on periodontal disease progression and severity. The underlying factors are usually genetic and are mainly related to alterations in the immune response and in certain endocrine functions, leading to various syndromes in which periodontitis and/or early tooth loss are secondary manifestations. Neutrophils are important immune defense cells that play a significant role in controlling the spread of microbial plaque infections in the dentogingival region. This review focuses on a selected group of systemic disorders that are associated with alterations in either neutrophil counts (quantitative disorders) or function (qualitative disorders), and defects in the mineralization of bone and dental tissues. In most of these diseases controlling the periodontal disease progression is very challenging. Proper diagnosis is a prerequisite for proper management of the periodontal problem. Future advances in research, including gene targeting and the resolution of enzyme deficiencies, may bring about remedies of the underlying systemic disorders and may significantly improve the outcome of periodontal treatment in these patients.

Epidemiology and demographics of aggressive periodontitis.

Epidemiologic studies of aggressive periodontitis have used different study designs and a range of examination methods and case definitions, and this greatly complicates the study of disease prevalence in populations. The wide range of disease case definitions, in particular, profoundly impacts the reported rate of disease, and the use of a standard disease definition is strongly recommended. Surveys of aggressive periodontitis that use only clinical examinations, without radiographic examination to confirm the presence of a distinctive pattern of tissue loss, may overestimate the prevalence of this disease, particularly when a low threshold of attachment loss is used. The prevalence of aggressive periodontitis varies significantly between populations, and differences in race/ethnicities seem to be a key factor. Studies consistently show that aggressive periodontitis is most prevalent in Africa and in populations of African descent and is least prevalent in Caucasians in Europe and North America. Among children and young adults the prevalence of this disease is higher in older than in younger age groups. Most studies show comparable disease prevalence in male and female subjects. These findings show that aggressive periodontitis is a significant health problem in certain populations. This review also highlights a lack of information on the epidemiology and demographics of this disease in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia and Africa. Epidemiologic studies of aggressive periodontitis in high-risk populations are important and could provide vital data on the determinants of this disease, and this information is needed for the establishment of effective health-promotion measures.

Risk factors for the progression of periodontal attachment loss: a 5-year population-based study in South Brazil.

AIM: To assess sociodemographic and behavioural risk factors for periodontal attachment loss (PAL) progression after 5 years in an urban sample from south Brazil. METHODS: At baseline, 1586 subjects, 14 years and older, were derived using a multistage probabilistic sample strategy. At follow-up, 653 of 755 subjects had ≥6 teeth and were included in this analysis. A modified multiple Poisson regression was used to calculate adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Overall, 247 (37.8%) subjects exhibited PAL progression ≥3 mm in ≥4 teeth. Subjects older than 30 years had approximately two times higher risk of having PAL progression than younger subjects. Subjects with low education had 53% higher risk (RR = 1.53; 95% CI:1.06-2.22) of PAL progression compared to those with high education. A significant interaction between gender and smoking was observed. Among never-smokers, males were 33% more likely (RR = 1.33; 95% CI:1.06-1.66) to experience PAL progression than females. Among smokers, there was 8% increased risk of PAL progression (RR = 1.08; 95% CI:1.01-1.14) for males and 21% (RR = 1.21; 95% CI:1.11-1.33) for females per 10 packyears. Skin colour, socioeconomy, dental care and diabetes were not significantly associated with PAL progression after statistical adjustment. CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic factors and smoking are independent risk factors for PAL progression in this Brazilian population.

Bacteriome analysis of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans-JP2 genotype-associated Grade C periodontitis in Moroccan adolescents.

Background: Grade C (previously aggressive) periodontitis (GCP) in adolescents is prevalent in certain parts of Africa where it is associated with JP2 genotype, a highly virulent strain of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The aim of this study was to characterize the subgingival bacteriome in Moroccan subjects with GCP positive to A. actinomycetemcomitans JP2 genotype. Methods: Subgingival plaque samples were collected from shallow and deep pockets of 8 subjects with GCP (17.2 ± 1.5 years) and from gingival sulci of 13 controls with no periodontitis (14.6 ± 1.1 years). Identification and genotyping of A. actinomycetemcomitans was performed using PCR analysis of the ltx operon, while bacteriome profiling was done by 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V1-V3 region). Groups were compared in terms of microbial diversity, abundances, and dysbiosis. Results: The shallow and deep pocket sites from GCP cases had a significantly altered microbial composition compared to controls. Species associated with health included Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Lautropia mirabilis, Streptococcus spp., Gemella spp., and Rothia spp. While known periodontal pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema spp. and Fretibacterium spp., were significantly enriched in GCP, non-conventional taxa, including Pseudomonas oral taxon C61 and Enterobacter cloacae were more abundant and showed stronger association with the disease. Less significant differences in abundances of individual taxa were observed between shallow and deep pockets. Overall dysbiosis measured in terms of Subgingival Microbial Dysbiosis Index (SMDI) differentiated between GCP and no-periodontitis with 95% accuracy. Conclusions: The results suggest that several periodontal pathogens involved in the adult-type periodontitis also play a role in JP2 genotype-associated GCP. The potential role of non-conventional taxa in the pathogenesis of GCP warrants further investigation.

Pattern and rate of progression of periodontal attachment loss in an urban population of South Brazil: a 5-years population-based prospective study.

AIM: The aim of this 5-years longitudinal study was to investigate the pattern and rate of periodontal attachment loss (PAL) progression in an urban population in South Brazil. METHODS: In 2001, a multistage probability sampling strategy was used to derive a representative sample of 1,465 dentate individuals from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Five years later, 697 dentate individuals (294M/403F, mean age: 37.9 ± 13.3) were available for follow-up. PAL was assessed by calibrated examiners using a full-mouth protocol. Estimates of proximal PAL progression and standard errors (SE) are reported. RESULTS: Fifty-six per cent (SE: 1.9) and 36% (SE: 1.8) of subjects showed PAL progression ≥3 mm affecting ≥2 and ≥4 teeth respectively. PAL progression ≥3 mm was mostly localized affecting 3.8 (SE: 0.2) teeth and 5.7 (SE: 0.3) sites. Annual PAL progression was, on average, 0.3 mm (SE: 0.01). Significant differences in PAL progression were observed according to age, gender, race and socioeconomic status. PAL progression increased with age reaching the highest progression rate in the 40-49 years cohort, and then decreased in older age groups. PAL progression was consistently higher among males and non-Whites than females and whites. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of this urban Brazilian sample was affected by PAL progression underscoring the need for health promotion initiatives aiming at preventing progression of destructive periodontal disease.