Association between Serum Antibodies to Oral Microorganisms and Hyperglycemia in Adults.

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to evaluate the relationship between serum antibody titers against 19 selected oral microorganisms and measures of hyperglycemia in a large, nationally representative data set. The study population consisted of 7,848 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (1988-1994) who were at least 40 yrs old, with complete serum IgG antibody data against 19 oral microorganisms. The 19 antibody titers were grouped into 4 categories via cluster analysis--orange-red, yellow-orange, orange-blue, and red-green--named to reflect predominant antibody titers against microorganisms in Socransky's classification scheme for oral microbes. Linear regression models weighted for complex survey design were used in which fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and HbA1c were outcomes and antibody cluster scores were exposures, adjusting for potential confounders. Higher orange-red cluster scores were associated with increased hyperglycemia, while higher orange-blue cluster scores were related with decreased hyperglycemia. A 1-unit-higher orange-red cluster score was associated with 0.46 mg/dL higher fasting blood glucose (p = .0038), and a 1-unit-higher orange-blue cluster score was associated with 0.34% lower HbA1c (p = .0257). Groups of antibody titers against periodontal microorganisms were associated with hyperglycemia independent of known risk factors.

Differential cytokine expressions affect the severity of peri-implant disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed gene expression by quantitative polymerase chain reaction of inflammatory- [interleukin (IL)-12, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-4, and IL-10] and osteoclastogenesis-related factors [receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG)] in sites exhibiting different severities of peri-implant disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Peri-implant soft tissue biopsies (n=48) were harvested from healthy implant (HI), mucositis (MC), initial peri-implantitis (IP) and severe peri-implantitis (SP) sites. RESULTS: IL-12 and TNF-alpha mRNA levels were higher in SP, followed by IP and MC (P <0.05). IL-4 was higher in HI, followed by MC, SP and IP (P <0.05). IL-10 was the lowest in HI, while no differences were detected among the diseased groups (P>0.05). OPG mRNA levels were higher in HI, followed by IP, SP and MC, whereas RANKL was increased as the peri-implantitis severity increased (P<0.05). The highest OPG/RANKL ratio was observed in HI and the lowest in SP (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that expressions of inflammatory- and osteoclastogenesis-related factors may play an important role in the onset and severity of the peri-implant diseases.

Salivary immunoglobulin concentrations in predentate and edentulous mouths.

The concentrations of IgA, IgG and IgM in whole saliva of predentate babies, dentate adults, and edentulous old people, and the salivary IgG concentration of dentate old people, were determined using a solid phase radioimmunoassay. A highly significant difference in IgG concentrations was found between toothless and dentate people. The average IgG concentration in the saliva of edentulous old people was 5.2 mg/1, which was about 20% of that of dentate old people. The salivary IgG content of babies was only 1.7 mg/1, which was in concordance with the low postnatal serum IgG values. The salivary IgA level in this age group was also low. The edentulous old people tended to have decreased IgM values, and the predentate babies tended to have increased IgM values compared with the dentate adults.