Category: Recent Posts

Introduction 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…

Introduction to the genetic aspect of periodontal diseases Periodontitis may have a slow (Grade A), moderate (Grade B) or rapid (Grade C) rate of progression (see “Classification of periodontal and peri-implant diseases and conditions”). Grade A/B periodontitis has a slow rate of disease progression which is consistent with the presence of local factors; whereas, Grade…

Introduction to risk factors for periodontal diseases There is strong evidence available today suggesting a multifactorial etiology of periodontal diseases. It has been demonstrated that the susceptibility of different individuals to periodontitis for the same amount of local factors is variable. Some individuals demonstrate less periodontal breakdown, whereas other demonstrate significantly more, for a similar…

Introduction to host-modulation therapeutics As already discussed in the previous chapters, the primary etiology of periodontal diseases is bacterial infection 1. In addition to bacterial etiology, the progression of periodontal diseases is adversely influenced by a number of risk factors and risk indicators like diabetes, gender, age, hereditary factors and smoking 2. Traditional treatments focused…

Introduction to host modulation As discussed in previous chapters, periodontal disease progression is associated with subgingival bacterial colonization and biofilm formation. This microbial biofilm elicits a host response, with resultant osseous and soft tissue destruction. In response to endotoxins derived from periodontal pathogens, various inflammatory chemical mediators are released by the host cells. The immunoinflammatory…

Introduction Various defense mechanisms active in the oral cavity include saliva, gingival sulcular/crevicular fluid, intact epithelial barrier (junctional epithelium), the presence of beneficial flora, migrating polymorphonuclear cells and other leukocytes, and local antibody production. The gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva play an important role in the defense mechanism of the oral cavity. Both GCF…

Introduction to osteoimmunology Periodontal arena harbors a very complex biofilm which consists of numerous bacterial species 1, 2. As this biofilm matures, there is an increased accumulation of facultative anaerobic, Gram-negative microorganisms 3, which result in early vascular changes in the periodontium, with exudation and migration of phagocytic cells, including neutrophils and monocytes/ macrophages, into…