A novel multi‐locus genetic risk score identifies patients with higher risk of generalized aggressive periodontitis

Sports Diet and Oral Health in Athletes: A Comprehensive Review

Food and fluid supply is fundamental for optimal athletic performance but can also be a risk factor for caries, dental erosion, and periodontal diseases, which in turn can impair athletic performance. Many studies have reported a high prevalence of oral diseases in elite athletes, notably dental caries 20-84%, dental erosion 42-59%, gingivitis 58-77%, and periodontal disease 15-41%, caused by frequent consumption of sugars/carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fats, or deficient protein intake. There are three possible major reasons for poor oral health in athletes which are addressed in this review: oxidative stress, sports diet, and oral hygiene. This update particularly summarizes potential sports nutritional effects on athletes' dental health. Overall, sports diet appropriately applied to deliver benefits for performance associated with oral hygiene requirements is necessary to ensure athletes' health. The overall aim is to help athletes, dentists, and nutritionists understand the tangled connections between sports diet, oral health, and oral healthcare to develop mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of dental diseases due to nutrition.

New insights into the genetics of mandibular retrognathism: novel candidate genes

PURPOSE

Mandibular retrognathism (MR) is a common skeletal malocclusion in humans with a strong genetic component. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding epidermal growth factor (EGF) and EGF receptor (EGFR) could be involved in the etiology of mandibular retrognathism. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether SNPs in the genes encoding for EGF and EGFR are associated with MR in German teenagers.

METHODS

This nested case-control study evaluated German orthodontic patients, aged 10-18 years. DNA, which was isolated from buccal epithelial cells using two cytobrushes, was used for genotyping analysis and digital pretreatment lateral cephalograms were examined to calculate SNB and ANB. Patients with a retrognathic mandible (SNB < 78°) were included as cases, while patients with an orthognathic mandible (SNB = 78-82°) were included as controls. Four SNPs in the genes encoding for EGF and EGFR were chosen and genotyped using real-time PCR. Allele, genotype, and haplotype frequency were compared across groups (α = 5%).

RESULTS

Finally, 119 patients were included in this study (45 orthognathic mandible, 74 retrognathic mandible). The minor allele G in rs4444903 (EGF) was statistically more frequent in individuals with an orthognathic mandible (p = 0.008). The haplotype formed by the mutant alleles for rs4444903|rs2237051 (EGF; G|A) was statistically more frequent in the orthognathic mandible group (p = 0.007). The SNPs rs4444903 and rs2237051 in EGF, and rs2227983 in EGFR were statistically associated with a decreasing risk of developing a retrognathic mandible according to univariate and multivariate statistical analysis (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

SNPs in EGF (rs4444903 and rs2237051) and EGFR (rs2227983) were associated with MR in our German sample and could be genetic biomarkers for early and individualized diagnostic identification of retrognathic mandibular development by means of genetic screening tests.

Common complement factor H polymorphisms are linked with periodontitis in elderly patients

BACKGROUND

In our recent genome-wide association study, we found that genetic polymorphisms in the complement factor H (CFH) gene and S100A gene region are strongly associated with serum matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8) concentration and the release of MMP-8 from neutrophils. As MMP-8 is centrally involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis, we aimed to evaluate the presence of genetic polymorphisms of S100A8/A9/A12, MMP8, and CFH in periodontitis. In addition, we studied whether polymorphisms of these genes affect the concentrations of S100A8, S100A12, MMP-8, or complement activation marker in saliva.

METHODS

We genotyped four SNPs (rs1560833 in S100A8/A9/A12, rs11225395 in MMP8, rs800292 in CFH, and rs1061170 in CFH) and measured salivary concentrations of S100A8, S100A12, MMP-8, and terminal complement complex (TCC) in the Parogene cohort (n = 508). The cohort was composed of patients with an indication to coronary angiography and all underwent a clinical and radiographic oral examination.

RESULTS

Complement factor H polymorphisms rs800292 and rs1061170 were associated with periodontal parameters. None of the polymorphisms showed association with salivary proteins. However, salivary concentrations of S100A8, S100A12, MMP-8, and TCC were strongly associated with the number of periodontal pockets and alveolar bone loss.

CONCLUSION

Interestingly, genetic variants of CFH, MMP8, and S100A8/A9/A12 gene region did not affect salivary levels of measured proteins. However, saliva levels of S100A8, S100A12, MMP-8, and TCC, and CFH polymorphisms were associated with clinical and radiographic signs of periodontitis. Our study further supports the observations that any dysregulation of complement may increase the risk of inflammatory disorders, such as periodontitis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Genetic Variants of Matrix Metalloproteinase and Sepsis: The Need Speed Study

Many causal mechanisms in sepsis susceptibility are largely unknown and the functional genetic polymorphisms (GP) of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their natural tissue inhibitor of MMPs (TIMP1) could play a role in its development. GPs of MMPs and TIMP (namely MMP-1 rs1799750, MMP-3 rs3025058, MMP-8 rs11225395, MMP-9 rs2234681, and TIMP-1 rs4898) have been compared in 1058 patients with suspected sepsis to assess the association with susceptibility and etiology of sepsis. Prevalence of MMP8 rs11225395 G/G genotype was higher in sepsis patients than in those with non-infective Systemic Inflammatory Reaction Syndrome (35.6 vs. 26%, hazard ratio, HR 1.56, 95% C.I. 1.04–2.42, p = 0.032). G/G patients developed less hyperthermia (p = 0.041), even after stratification for disease severity (p = 0.003). Patients carrying the 6A allele in MMP3 rs3025058 had a higher probability of microbiologically-proven sepsis (HR 1.4. 95%C.I. 1.01–1.94, p = 0.044), particularly when due to virus (H.R. 2.14, 95% C.I. 1.06–4.31, p = 0.046), while MMP-1 G/G genotype patients carried a higher risk for intracellular bacteria (Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, and Legionella, H.R. 6.46, 95% C.I. 1.58–26.41, p = 0.003). Neither severity of sepsis at presentation, nor 30-day mortality were influenced by the investigated variants or their haplotype. MMP8 rs11225395 G/G carriers have lower temperature at presentation and a more than 50% increased susceptibility to sepsis. Among patients with sepsis, carriers of MMP1 rs1799750 G/G have an increased susceptibility for intracellular pathogen infections, while virus serology is more often positive in those with the MMP3 rs3025058 A/A genotype.

Genetic association of the epidermal growth factor gene polymorphisms with peri-implantitis risk in Chinese population

Peri-implant disease is an inflammatory disease and is related to genetic heterogeneity. Considering the genetic association of epidermal growth factor (EGF) gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility of periodontitis, its genetic association with peri-implantitis risk in a Chinese Han population was explored. Three hundred individuals who underwent dental implants were recruited, and divided into healthy implant group and peri-implantitis group. The genotype and allele distribution of EGF gene rs2237051 and rs4444903 polymorphisms were analyzed via direct sequencing and the frequencies were compared between the two groups using chi-square test. No significant difference was detected for the clinical information between healthy implant group and peri-implantitis group, including lifestyle habits platform type and position, peri-implant phenotype, brushing time, dental floss, and mouth washing frequencies. Individuals with peri-implantitis had poor periodontal status. The GG genotype and G allele of rs2237051 showed significant increasing trend in peri-implantitis group compared with the healthy implant group. Compared with the AA genotype carriers, rs2237051 GG genotype carriers showed lower risk to suffer from peri-implantitis (OR = 0.236, 95%CI = 0.089–0.624), and possessed low values of gingival index, plaque index and calculus index, peri-implant pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL). But there was no significant difference for the rs4444903 genotype distributions between the case and control groups. In summary, EGF rs2237051 polymorphism showed close association with the genetic background of peri-implantitis. Rs2237051 GG genotype and G allele might be protective factors for the onset of peri-implantitis.

Effectiveness of a nutraceutical agent in the non-surgical periodontal therapy: a randomized, controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

Nutraceutical agents have been demonstrated as adjuncts for the treatment of several inflammatory diseases. The present study analyzed and compared new nutraceutical agent as an adjunct to Scaling and root planing (SRP) versus SRP alone for the treatment of periodontitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-six patients with moderate periodontitis were enrolled. Through a randomized design, the patients were randomly assigned to SRP + nutraceutical agent (test group) or SRP alone (control group). Patients were regularly examined the clinical, inflammatory mediators and visual analogue scale (VAS) changes over a 6-month period. Clinical attachment level (CAL) was the primary outcome variable chosen. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) inflammatory mediator change and the impact of treatment on VAS were evaluated through a linear regression model.

RESULTS

Both treatments demonstrated an improvement in periodontal parameters compared with baseline. After 6 months of treatment, compared with the control group, the test group determined a significant probing depth (PD) (p = 0.003) and bleeding on probing (BOP) reduction (p < 0.001), while CAL gain was significantly obtained at 30 and 60 days after treatment (p < 0.05). In the test group, the level of inflammatory mediators was significantly reduced compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The linear regression analysis demonstrated that the nutraceutical agent exerted, in the test group, a significant influence on VAS at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after treatment (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Nutraceutical agent resulted in a more significant reduction in clinical, inflammatory mediators and short-term pain compared with SRP alone.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Nutraceutical agent, when combined with SRP, was demonstrated to be effective in reducing periodontal parameters and controlling the levels of inflammatory mediators and pain in patients with periodontitis.

The Impact of Diet, Nutrition and Nutraceuticals on Oral and Periodontal Health

Oral and periodontal diseases can determine severe functional, phonatory and aesthetic impairments and are the main cause of adult tooth loss. They are caused by some specific bacteria that provoke an intense local inflammatory response and affect-with particular gravity-susceptible subjects, because of reasons related to genetics and lifestyles (e.g., smoking and home oral hygiene habits). They are more frequent in the disadvantaged segments of society and, in particular, in subjects who have difficulty accessing preventive services and dental care. Some systemic diseases, such as uncontrolled diabetes, can increase their risk of development and progression. Recently, in addition to the obvious considerations of severe alterations and impairments for oral health and well-being, it has been noted that periodontitis can cause changes in the whole organism. Numerous clinical and experimental studies have highlighted the presence of a strong association between periodontitis and some systemic diseases, in particular, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, lung diseases and complications of pregnancy. The purpose of this editorial is to provide a current and thoughtful perspective on the relationship of diet and natural agents on oral, periodontal diseases, and chewing disorder preventions which may reflect good systemic conditions and related quality of life or to analyze indirect effects through the contribution of diet and nutrition to systemic health in order to obtain a modern diagnostic-therapeutic approach.