Saliva proteins associated with the progress of gum disease identified

The levels of measuring basic proteins in patients’ saliva can be a relatively easy way for dentists and even patients themselves monitor the progression of gum disease (periodontitis), indicates a new study led by Penn Dental Medicine researchers.

In the study, the researchers watched and examined saliva samples of more than 400 patients for one and a half years. They found that on average, patients who developed periodontitis showed significantly higher levels of nine signaling proteins associated with inflammation in saliva compared to those who did not.

The study is published In the December’s Special Issue Newspaper of clinical periodontology.

“One can imagine a saliva test, based on such findings, that dentists could use, and even patients with periodontitis could use at home-they could be a very useful tool of personalized dental to evaluate risk, Professor in the Department of Basic & Translation Sciences in Penn Dentals Medicine.

Periodontitis is one of the most common medical conditions, with an estimated prevalence of between 20% and 50% of the world population, including about 64 million people in the US, if not treated, this chronic bacterial infection and inflammation of the gums often lead to the loss of bone.

Researchers did not have a good way to predict the progression of periodontitis from a mild condition in one that is more serious and threatened to lose teeth. In principle, periodic tests of saliva and/or blood samples can give molecular indications.

However, previous studies of this strategy had significant restrictions, including the small number of registered patients, the small numbers of molecules measured, and the seams at a single time instead of a long time. Teles’ new study was designed to overcome these restrictions.

The researchers enrolled 302 people who had signs of early to moderate/severe periodontitis and 113 people with no signs of periodontitis. Each subject received a detailed check with formal evaluations of the situation and the development of periodontitis every two months for one year.

The subjects also had samples of saliva and blood in any control. Salve samples were tested for levels of 10 different proteins attached to inflammation and blood samples for 5 different inflammatory proteins. When the year was up, the researchers gave the subjects of periodontitis standard non -surgical periodontal treatment and checked them again three and six months later.

The results showed that patients with periodontitis who had the greatest progression of the disease during the year-were found as three or more positions with loss of clinical adhesion (that is, loss of fibers that help maintain the tooth in place), had significantly higher levels of several proteins. These included interferon-gamma, Il-6, VEGF, IL-1B and MMR-8. After treatment, these levels receded.

The levels of such proteins in the blood of the subjects did not differ significantly from the degree of progression of the disease, although many, including MMP-8, MMP-9 and C-reactivation, fell significantly after treatment.

Findings indicate that changes in protein levels associated with inflammation in saliva over time can help patients and doctors evaluate the risk of periodontitis as well as the effectiveness of treatment-and that blood levels may also be useful.

Teles and her colleagues in surveillance research analyze samples from the same patients, bacterial species and related small molecules called metabolites, to see if they can help monitor the status of periodontitis.

“We also use artificial intelligence to analyze wider sets of clinical and laboratory data,” says Teles, who was the opening recipient of artificial intelligence at the Programming Innovation Award, presented by the Innovation Award of the Innovation of the School (CIPD) Informatics.

“Our hope is that through this data analysis we can further improve this approach and provide more customized and affordable oral care.”