Characterization of the O-Glycoproteome of Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis is an oral pathogen primarily associated with severe periodontal disease and further associated with rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Protein glycosylation can be important for a variety of reasons including protein function, solubility, protease resistance, and thermodynamic stability.

The bacteriome of the oral cavity in healthy dogs and dogs with periodontal disease

OBJECTIVE To compare the bacteriome of the oral cavity in healthy dogs and dogs with various stages of periodontal disease. ANIMALS Dogs without periodontal disease (n = 12) or with mild (10), moderate (19), or severe (10) periodontal disease. PROCEDURES The maxillary arcade of each dog was sampled with a sterile swab, and swabs were submitted for next-generation DNA sequencing targeting the V1–V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene. RESULTS 714 bacterial species from 177 families were identified. The 3 most frequently found bacterial species were Actinomyces sp (48/51 samples), Porphyromonas cangingivalis (47/51 samples), and a Campylobacter sp (48/51 samples). The most abundant species were P cangingivalis, Porphyromonas gulae, and an undefined Porphyromonas sp. Porphyromonas cangingivalis and Campylobacter sp were part of the core microbiome shared among the 4 groups, and P gulae, which was significantly enriched in dogs with severe periodontal disease, was part of the core microbiome shared between all groups except dogs without periodontal disease. Christensenellaceae sp, Bacteroidales sp, Family XIII sp, Methanobrevibacter oralis, Peptostreptococcus canis, and Tannerella sp formed a unique core microbiome in dogs with severe periodontal disease. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results highlighted that in dogs, potential pathogens can be common members of the oral cavity bacteriome in the absence of disease, and changes in the relative abundance of certain members of the bacteriome can be associated with severity of periodontal disease. Future studies may aim to determine whether these changes are the cause or result of periodontal disease or the host immune response.

Gestational Diabetes and Periodontal Disease in Trinidad – A pilot study

Objective To determine the prevalence of periodontitis in patients with and without gestational diabetes in Trinidad. Methods A convenience sample was obtained from antenatal clinic collaborating sites; patients were invited to undergo oral examinations at the School of Dentistry. The basic periodontal examination (BPE) assessed the periodontal disease status in all patients, the examiner was blinded to the GD status. Results There were 65 women who participated in the study, of which 13 had gestational diabetes and 52 did not. The mean age was 34.32 years and 43.1% and 35.4% of participants were Afro-Trinidadian and Indo-Trinidadian respectively. Reversible stages of periodontal disease were present in most participants (63.1%). Signs of severe periodontal disease (BPE scores 3 and 4) were more prevalent in the non-GD group and the Afro-Trinidadian group. Conclusion These data provide the first insight into the periodontal status of patients with and without gestational diabetes. The non-GD group showed a higher prevalence of severe periodontal disease compared to the group with GD.

Changes in Maxillary Sinus Mucosal Thickening following the Extraction of Teeth with Advanced Periodontal Disease: A Retrospective Study Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

Objectives. To explore the alterations in maxillary sinus mucosal thickening after extracting teeth with severe periodontal disease using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods. 30 patients with severe periodontal disease of maxillary posterior teeth that needed to be extracted and who were radiographically diagnosed with mucosal thickening (MT) in the maxillary sinus participated in the study. CBCT scans were taken before tooth extraction and 2-29 months after tooth extraction. The postextraction follow-up time was divided into two groups: group 1 (<4 months) and group 2 (≥4 months). Dimensions of maxillary sinus MT, including the MT zone length (SL) and the maximum thickness of the MT zone (ST), were evaluated preextraction and postextraction; the residual ridge height (RRH) was evaluated at the sites of extracted and nonextracted teeth. Result. Of the 24 patients with unilateral tooth extraction, there was a statistically significant difference in MT between the extraction and nonextraction sides ( p < 0.05 ). The RRH at the site of the extracted teeth was significantly lower than that of the nonextracted teeth ( p < 0.05 ). MT decreased significantly after tooth extraction on the extraction side but not on the nonextraction side. There was no significant difference between group 1 and group 2 regarding the reduction in mucosal thickness over time. Conclusions. Severe periodontitis can cause MT in the maxillary sinus. The RRH was lower at the sites of extracted teeth. MT reduced quickly by a thorough debridement after tooth extraction in 4 months. MT will not decrease further over time.

Severe Periodontal Disease Increases Acute Myocardial Infarction and Stroke: A 10-Year Retrospective Follow-up Study

This study aimed to evaluate the causal association of periodontal disease with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke, after controlling for various confounders among the Korean population. A retrospective cohort study using the National Health Insurance Service–National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) was performed during 2002 to 2015 (baseline: 2002 to 2005; follow-up: 2006 to 2015) in the Republic of Korea. A total of 298,128 participants with no history of AMI or stroke were followed up for 10 y. AMI and stroke were defined by a diagnosis using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision ( ICD-10) guideline. Periodontal condition was classified into 3 groups (healthy, moderate periodontal disease, severe periodontal disease [SPD]) using the combination of ICD codes, treatment codes in the NHIS, and recommendation of periodontal treatment by the dentists in HEALS. Various confounders, such as sociodemographic, behavioral, systemic, and oral health factors, including hypercholesterolemia, were considered. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was applied to estimate adjusted incidence rate ratio (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]) based on person-year of periodontal condition for AMI, stroke, and nonfatal major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) encompassing AMI or stroke controlling for various confounders. Stratified analyses according to age group, sex, and toothbrushing frequency were also performed. After controlling for various confounders, participants with SPD compared with non-SPD participants had a higher incidence by 11% for AMI (aHR, 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.20), by 3.5% for stroke (aHR, 1.035; 95% CI, 1.01–1.07), and by 4.1% for MACEs (aHR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01–1.07). The association of SPD with AMI and MACE was highly modified in females and adults aged 40 to 59 y. In the total Korean population, SPD increased total AMI events by 4.3%, total stroke events by 1.4%, and the total MACEs by 1.6%. Our data confirmed that SPD was causally associated with the new events of AMI and stroke.

Cognitive impairment related to arterial stiffness in cardiovascular disease patients with severe periodontitis

Severe periodontal disease (SPD) associated with systemic peripheral inflammation, cognitive impairment (CI) and arterial stiffness (AS) has been recognized. The aim of this study was to investigate whether CI and arterial stiffness (AS) occur in cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients with SPD. A crosssectional case-control study included hospitalized patients with CVD. Demographic characteristics, CVD and atherogenic risk factors were recorded. SPD was diagnosed by clinical and radiographic dental examinations. Dental clinical attachment level (CAL) and CAL % were recorded. A Mini-Mental State Examination test (MMSE) assessed cognition, a MMSE score of < 27 was set as the cut-off point of CI; a score ≥ 27 was considered as no CI. Patients were categorized into: MMSE< 27 in the three models. The risk of having MMSE < 27 increased an average of 2.404-fold for each 1-unit increase in PWV. SPD and AS had significant and independent associations on the risk for development CI. MMSE negatively correlated with CAL% (r=0.69) and PWV (r=0.70). PWV positively correlated with CAL% (r=0.67). Serum VCAM-1 levels were higher in SPD with lower MMSE scores. In conclusion, SPD increases the risk of development of cognitive decline in CVD patients. PWV was directly associated with the risk of cognitive decline. These findings denote a significant opportunity to improve periodontal health in order to avert CI in CVD patients.

The bacterial association with oral cavity and intra-abdominal abscess after gastrectomy

Background Perioperative oral management has been reported to be effective for preventing postoperative infectious complications. In addition, severe periodontal disease was identified as the significant risk factor for complications after gastrointestinal surgery. We investigated the bacteriological association between the periodontal pocket, stomach mucosa and drainage fluid to determine whether oral bacteria directly cause intra-abdominal infection after gastrectomy. Methods Patients who were scheduled to undergo surgery for gastric cancer were prospectively enrolled. We evaluated the similarity of bacterial strains in periodontal pocket, stomach mucosa and fluid from drainage tube. Gingival crevicular fluid and dental plaque were collected from the periodontal pocket and cultured to detect bacteria. Specimens from the resected stomach were collected and used for bacterial culturing. Drainage fluid from the abdominal cavity was also cultured. Results All of 52 patients were enrolled. In the periodontal pocket, α-Streptococcus spp., Neisseria sp., and Prevotella sp. were mainly detected. Bacterial cultures in the stomach mucosa were positive in 26 cases. In 20 cases (76.9%), the detected strains were the same as those in the periodontal pocket. Six patients had the postoperative intra-abdominal infection after gastrectomy, and the same bacterial strains was detected in both of drainage fluid and periodontal pocket in two patients with severe periodontal disease. Conclusions We found the bacteriological association that same strain detected in periodontal pocket, stomach and in intra-abdominal drainage fluid after gastrectomy in patients with periodontal disease.