Recent research has looked into the progression of Periodontitis – which is the most common form of Gum Disease. It is known that periodontitis becomes more common with age. However, researchers were unaware of why this is the case. Therefore, research into this area has been completed, with the aim of learning more about this process.
Periodontitis is the most severe form of Gum Disease. Gum disease is one of the most common oral health conditions and affects a large number of people.
Interestingly, periodontitis becomes more common with age. However, scientists do not have an entire understanding of why this happens.
Now, a team of researchers has sought to learn more about this. They modified a well-known animal model to study periodontitis in detail, helping them to gain more of an understanding of this condition [1].
Background
Gum Disease is incredibly common, with it impacting almost half of American adults and hundreds of millions of people around the world [2].
Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss. It is caused by an inflammatory response to bacterial infection of the tissue around the teeth – which itself is linked to poor oral hygiene.
As periodontitis worsens, the gums start pulling away from the teeth, which exposes the roots of the teeth and eventually, the bone [1].
As discussed in the introduction, periodontitis becomes more common as people age. For example, research shows that 60% of American adults aged 65 or over have periodontitis – the most severe form of gum disease [3].
This is likely to become more problematic over the next few decades, as life expectancy continues to grow. Therefore, learning more about the progression of this condition is crucial. This is what a team of researchers has looked into.
The Research
The research was carried out by a team from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Their findings have been published in the Nature Communications journal [1].
It is challenging to study periodontitis directly in humans, which leads scientists to use animal models. The “mouse ligature-induced periodontitis model” has been used a lot for scientific experiments since its introduction in 2012 [1].
The model works by artificially inducing periodontitis into mice via ligating silk threads onto the molars of the mice, which stimulates plaque accumulation [1].
While this particular model has helped researchers to study the mechanisms of cells involved in periodontitis, there are some limitations. For instance, it does not provide a picture that takes into account the complexities of periodontitis [1].
Therefore, the researchers modified the model. Instead of a single ligature that is used on the original, they used a triple ligature, which expanded the level of bone loss, albeit without causing severe bone destruction [1].
This allowed the team to get a wider selection of periodontal tissue. This could further their analysis and provide more widespread findings.
The team then observed as periodontitis was induced into the mice. They noticed that the IL-33/ST2 pathway was impacted. This is a pathway that is known to be involved in inflammatory processes in the body [1].
When the IL-33/ST2 pathway was weakened, the researchers noticed that the mice showed accelerated inflammatory bone destruction [1]. Therefore, once this pathway became weakened, periodontitis worsened.
It appears that as a person gets older, this pathway naturally weakens, with poor oral health seemingly exacerbating this process. Therefore, this makes a person more vulnerable to periodontitis as they get older.
The researchers were pleased with the outcome. Adding this to the field of knowledge for gum disease is helpful.
Summary
The researchers believe this research will be helpful in the future. The modified animal model they used could help with similar research, as it provides a more realistic representation of the mouth.
Confirming the effectiveness of this model, senior author Dr. Mikihito Hayashi said that the triple-ligature model achieved four times the yield of the previous model, which supported “the high-resolution analysis of different tissue types” [4].
In conclusion, the research team noted that the aforementioned IL-33 pathway “is deeply involved in periodontal disease” [4]. Furthermore, they noted that their findings may result in “the development of new treatment strategies and prevention methods” [4].
With so many people suffering from gum disease, any research into the condition is welcomed. These findings continue to be helpful for researchers and patients alike.
Thinking points…
1) As we mentioned above, gum disease is very common. In light of this, we all need to remember to look after our gums! Remember to brush them gently each day, avoid too much sugar in your diet and cut out any tobacco use. If you are concerned about the health of your gums, you can speak to your dentist. There are some treatments to aid the health of your gums, including root planing and scaling.
2) Remember to attend regular dental check-ups. A dentist can assist with the health of your gums, and they can look out for early signs of gum disease. When noticed early on, it can lessen the impact of gum disease. Therefore, it is crucial to attend the dentist at least twice a year. We recommend that you book an appointment now!
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!
We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.
Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.
We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!
References
[1] Liu, A., Hayashi, M., Ohsugi, Y., Katagiri, S., Akira, S., Iwata, T., & Nakashima, T. (2024). The IL-33/ST2 axis is protective against acute inflammation during the course of periodontitis. Nature Communications. 15 (2708). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46746-2.
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Periodontal (Gum) Disease. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/oral-health/about/gum-periodontal-disease.html . Last accessed: 25th May 2024.
[3] Eke, P. I., Thornton-Evans, G. O., Wei, L., Borgnakke, W. S., Dye, B. A., & Genco, R. J. (2018). Periodontitis in US Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2014. The Journal of the American Dental Association. 149 (7): p576-588. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2018.04.023.
[4] Tokyo Medical and Dental University. (2024). Clarifying the cellular mechanisms underlying periodontitis with an improved animal model. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-05-cellular-mechanisms-underlying-periodontitis-animal.html. Last accessed: 25th May 2024.
