Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

page 12DTà S cientists are trying to open a new front in the battle against gum dis- ease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults and some- times termed the most seri- ous oral health problem of the 21st century. They described another treatment approach for the condition in a report here today at the 244th Na- tional Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Soci- ety, the world’s largest scien- tific society. “Our technology uses con- trolled-release capsules filled with a protein that would be injected in the pockets between the gums and the teeth,” said Steven Little, Ph.D., who reported on the research. “That’s ground-zero for periodontal disease ‘gum disease’ the place where bac- teria breed and inflammation occurs. The capsules dissolve over time, releasing a protein that acts as a homing beacon. It guides immune cells to the diseased area, reducing in- flammation, creating an en- vironment that fights the dis- ease process and even could create conditions favorable for gum tissue to regrow.” Little and colleagues, who are with the University of Pittsburgh, have evidence from laboratory experiments with mice stand-ins for hu- mans in early research of this kind that cannot be done with actual patients that the approach does foster healing and regrowth of gum tissue damaged by periodontal dis- ease. A bacterial infection caus- es periodontal disease. It first appears as mild tenderness and bleeding of the gums. It leads to inflammation and, if left untreated, can damage the gums so that they recede and lose their attachment to the teeth. It may progress even further and damage bone and other tissues that hold teeth firmly in place. Sur- prisingly, gum disease has a number of deleterious effects outside the mouth, with some studies linking inflammation in the gums to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and preterm delivery in preg- nant women. Treatment includes scal- Evidence that new biomimetic controlled- release capsules may help in gum disease ‘That’s ground-zero for periodontal dis- ease ‘gum disease’ the place where bacteria breed and inflammation occurs’ For 3D Imaging, please read on... www.velopex.com Call: 020 8965 2913 Email: enquiries@velopex.com let Velopex Lead You into the Digital Future... Proud of our 50 Years in Quality Imaging, DTo3ds27.04.11rpc Perio Tribune page 12 Colgate reviews the evidence Evidence evening Perio Tribune Mhari Coxon looks at protocols Perio Protocol Perio Tribune Two symposia from EuroPerio7 Perio Insights Perio Tribune Dr Kimmel presents a case LANAP Perio Tribune pages 13-15 pages 16-18 pages 20-22