Vaccination: Vaccination is a process that induces specific immune resistance to a bacterial or viral infection. In vaccination, dead or attenuated living infectious material is introduced into the body with the objective of increasing resistance or eliminating the disease. The first and foremost step in making a vaccine is the identification of the antigenic component…
Read MoreEhlers-Danlos syndrome: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is also known as tenascin X-Deficiency syndrome, Lysyl Hydroxylase Deficiency syndrome, Cutis Hyperelastica, Dystrophia Mesodermalis and Fibrodysplasia Elastic Generalisatica. It is a hereditary collagen disease presenting primarily as dermatological and joint disorders. This disorder affects the connective tissues in the body and is characterized by joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue…
Read MorePeriodontitis as an autoimmune disease The microbial etiology is the primary etiology of periodontal diseases. However, Brandtzaeg and Kraus (1965) 1 were the first to postulate the autoimmune basis in the pathogenesis of the periodontal disease. Autoimmunity results when there is an imbalance between the effector and regulatory immune responses. Under normal conditions, the immune…
Read MoreCan micro-organisms subvert our immune response??? The subgingival microbiota in periodontal pockets consists of Gram-negative assaccharolytic anaerobic bacteria which are capable of releasing multiple virulence factors. To cause disease, these bacteria must survive in the hostile inflammatory environment that contains an array of host-generated bactericidal molecules and innate immune effector cells. But, on the other…
Read MoreIntroduction to adverse pregnancy outcomes In 1931 Galloway first suggested that maternal periodontal infection may play a role in complications of pregnancy, including ”miscarriage, pyelitis, mastitis, phlebitis, anemia and toxemias of pregnancy” 1. Since then, evidence has accumulated linking the maternal periodontal disease with adverse pregnancy outcomes. In the last decade, the adverse effects of…
Read MoreIntroduction As discussed in previous chapters, periodontal infections have been shown to act as a risk factor for various systemic diseases. With increasing research in the field of periodontal medicine, more evidence is coming into picture, demonstrating the relationship between periodontal diseases and various systemic conditions. The relationship between periodontal diseases and pulmonary infections is…
Read MoreIntroduction to relationship between cardiovascular and periodontal diseases Periodontal infection is found worldwide and is among the most prevalent human microbial diseases. It has been mentioned that severe generalized periodontal disease is present in 8% to 13% of the world’s total adult population 1. The roles of infection and inflammation in atherosclerosis have become increasingly…
Read MoreIntroduction to diabetes Diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrine disorder, characterized by an inability of the body’s cells to utilize glucose. According to World Health Organization (2014), 422 million adults are living with diabetes worldwide 1. Diabetes has been classified into two types, type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes results from…
Read MoreIntroduction to periodontal medicine Do the periodontal and systemic diseases have any link? Researchers have been trying to find out the answer to this question for a long time. As we know that periodontitis is the inflammation of periodontal tissues, the periodontal infection may act as a focus of infection for systemic diseases. This area…
Read MoreIntroduction Periodontal diseases are a group of conditions affecting the supporting structures of the dentition. These are multifactorial diseases where many risk factors affect the progression of the disease. Among those risk factors identified for periodontitis are bacterial colonization, age, gender, socioeconomic status, genetic predisposition, certain systemic conditions, and smoking. Tobacco smoking has been found…
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