[Motivation for Prevention in Childhood as a Basis for long-Term Dental Health: The Augsburg Model]. / Motivation zur Prävention im Kindesalter als Basis für eine nachhaltige Zahngesundheit - Das Augsburger Modell.

Oral health promotion programs have been shown to be more effective the earlier they are started. In the city of Augsburg, the activities of the School Dental Service were replaced by a cooperation model in 2001, which provides a reasonable combination of group and individual dental prophylaxis. Three epidemiological evaluations show continuously increasing rates of natural healthy primary teeth in preschool children of all population groups. The Augsburg cooperation model "child and youth dental health" represents a practice-oriented approach in accordance with the new German prevention law.

Increased plasma concentration of surfactant protein D in chronic periodontitis independent of SFTPD genotype: potential role as a biomarker.

Surfactant protein (SP) D belongs to the family of collectins, which are humoral molecules of the innate immune system. Collectins belong to pattern recognition receptors and are present in plasma and on mucosal surfaces and recognize several microbial components, the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). While SP-A is primarily expressed in the lung, expression of SP-D is more widely detected including different mucosal surfaces and in serum. Therefore, SP-D is considered a functional candidate in chronic periodontitis. The present study sought to investigate whether plasma concentration of SP-D is altered in chronic periodontitis and whether polymorphisms within the SFTPD gene (Met11Thr, Ala160Thr and Ser270Thr) are associated with chronic periodontitis. The study population comprised 105 patients with chronic periodontitis and 122 healthy, unrelated control individuals. SP-D Plasma concentrations were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test. Genotyping of SFTPD polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Plasma concentrations were significantly increased in patients with chronic periodontitis compared with the controls. The median plasma concentrations were 81.6 ng/ml in the patients and 52.6 ng/ml in the controls (P = 0.00051). In contrast, the three SFTPD polymorphisms displayed no significant association with chronic periodontitis; thus, the increased plasma concentrations were independent on the genotype. The study showed significantly increased SP-D plasma concentrations in patients with chronic periodontitis compared with healthy controls. Thus, SP-D can potentially be used as a biomarker for chronic periodontitis. As no significant associations of SFTPD gene polymorphisms could be detected, other mechanisms influencing SP-D serum/plasma expression might exist.

A645G (Lys216Glu) polymorphism of the bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein gene in periodontal disease.

Bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) is a member of the pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune system and recognizes lipopolysaccharides (LPS), a bacterial component belonging to the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). BPI mediates the neutralization of LPS and increases the phagocytosis and cytotoxicity against bacteria. Recently, the functionally effective polymorphism A645G resulting in the amino acid alteration Lys216Glu has been described. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of the A645G polymorphism with chronic periodontal disease. The study population comprised 123 patients with periodontal disease (36 with mild, 52 with moderate and 35 with severe periodontitis) and 122 healthy, unrelated control individuals. Genotyping of the BPI gene polymorphism A645G (Lys216Glu) was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Statistical analysis was carried out employing the chi(2) test with Yates correction. Genotype and allele frequencies of the polymorphism tested herein showed no significant differences between periodontal disease as compared to the control group. The frequencies of the G allele were 52.4% in patients with periodontal disease and 49.2% in the control individuals (P = 0.528). Moreover, no significant associations could be detected after stratification for disease severity and according to gender. The present study does not give evidence for the contribution of the BPI gene to the genetic background of chronic periodontal disease.

[The Augsburg cooperation model for promoting dental health in childhood]. / Das Augsburger Kooperationsmodell zur Förderung der Zahngesundheit im Kindesalter.

Dental care in children and adolescents has been remarkably successful in the recent past. For the purpose of reducing dental caries risk still further, a cooperation model has been developed which combines the elements of diagnosis, group prophylaxis, individual intensive prophylaxis and if necessary dental treatment. This involves cooperation between the Bavarian Provincial Working Group for Dental Health, statutory sickness insurance, practising dental surgeons and Public Health Services.