Co-occurrence of Periodontitis and Diabetes-Related Complications

Periodontitis is a common finding among people with diabetes mellitus (DM) and has been cited as a DM complication. Whether and how periodontitis relates to other diabetes-related complications has yet to be explored. This study aims to examine the clustering of periodontitis with other diabetes-related complications and explore pathways linking diabetes-related complications with common risk factors. Using data from participants with DM across 3 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (n = 2,429), we modeled direct and indirect pathways from risk factors to diabetes-related complications, a latent construct comprising periodontitis, cardiovascular diseases, proteinuria, and hypertension. Covariates included age, sex, socioeconomic status (SES), smoking, physical activity, healthy diet, alcohol consumption, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), dyslipidemia, and body mass index (BMI). Sensitivity analyses were performed considering participants with overweight/obesity and restricting the sample to individuals without DM. Periodontitis clustered with other diabetes complications, forming a latent construct dubbed diabetes-related complications. In NHANES III, higher HbA1c levels and BMI, older age, healthy diet, and regular physical activity were directly associated with the latent variable diabetes-related complications. In addition, a healthy diet and BMI had a total effect on diabetes-related complications. Although sex, smoking, dyslipidemia, and SES demonstrated no direct effect on diabetes-related complications in NHANES III, a direct effect was observed using NHANES 2011-2014 cycles. Sensitivity analysis considering participants with overweight/obesity and without DM showed consistent results. Periodontal tissue breakdown seems to co-occur with multiple diabetes-related complications and may therefore serve as a valuable screening tool for other well-known diabetes-related complications.

Effect of Smoking Exposure on Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy: 1-Year Follow-up

This study investigated the influence of different levels of exposure to smoking on periodontal healing for 12 mo after nonsurgical periodontal therapy and supportive periodontal care every third month. Eighty smokers willing to quit smoking and with periodontitis were included. Participants were offered an individualized voluntary smoking cessation program. Data collection included questionnaires and a full-mouth periodontal examination. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to model smoking trajectories over the follow-up. The effect of smoking trajectory on periodontal parameters over time was estimated with mixed effects modeling. Three smoking patterns were identified: light smokers/quitters (n = 46), moderate smokers (n = 17), and heavy smokers (n = 17). For the periodontal data, the first factor, moderate periodontitis, included the number of sites with clinical attachment levels (CALs) of 4, 5, 6, and 7 mm; periodontal pocket depths (PPDs) of 4, 5, and 6 mm; and bleeding on probing. The second factor, severe periodontitis, consisted of the number of sites with a CAL ≥8 mm and PPD ≥7 mm. Heavy smokers commenced with a higher average CAL of 1.1 mm and 10 more sites with severe periodontitis than light smokers/quitters. While light smokers/quitters and moderate smokers obtained an average improvement of 0.6-mm PPD and 0.7-mm CAL, respectively, heavy smokers experienced 0.5-mm attachment loss. Heavy smokers had only a 50% reduction in the number of sites with moderate periodontitis when compared with light smokers/quitters and moderate smokers. While most participants benefited from nonsurgical periodontal therapy with results affected in a dose-response manner, the therapy had no effect on severe periodontitis among heavy smokers. Smoking cessation should be part of periodontal therapy; otherwise, limited benefits would be observed among heavy smokers, hindering the effect of treatment.

Is there a relationship between obesity and tooth loss and edentulism? A systematic review and meta-analysis

This study conducted a systematic review to assess the bi-directional association between tooth loss/edentulism and obesity. Electronic searches were performed in four different databases. Observational studies that tested associations between tooth loss/edentulism and obesity as either exposures or outcomes were included. Additionally, meta-analyses, funnel plots and sensitivity analyses were conducted to synthesize the evidence. A total of 549 articles were identified in the electronic database search. Out of which, 16 studies were included within the meta-analyses: 75% considered tooth loss/edentulism as exposure and obesity as outcome, whereas 25% alternatively considered obesity as exposure and tooth loss/edentulism as outcome. Pooled estimates showed that obese individuals had 1.49 (95%CI 1.20-1.86) and 1.25 (95%CI 1.10-1.42) times higher odds of having any tooth loss and edentulism, respectively. Alternatively, when tooth loss or edentulism were considered as exposures, individuals with any tooth loss had 1.41 (95%CI 1.11-1.79) times higher odds for obesity, while edentates had even higher odds (OR 1.60; 95%CI 1.29-2.00). The results indicate a bi-directional association between tooth loss and obesity. Considering that all selected studies were of cross-sectional study design limiting inferences on temporality, longitudinal prospective studies are required to test the causal relationship between tooth loss/edentulism and obesity or vice a versa. © 2016 World Obesity.

A double-blind randomised clinical trial of two techniques for gingival displacement

Knowledge about security and the potential damage originated by the gingival displacement techniques has not been described through randomised clinical studies. This crossover, double-blind, randomised clinical trial evaluated clinical and immunological factors related to conventional and cordless gingival displacement (GD) techniques, and patients' perceptions in 12 subjects with the employment of 2 GD techniques: conventional (gingival cord + 25% AlCl3 astringent gel) and cordless (15% AlCl3 astringent-based paste). In each subject, two anterior teeth were treated and a 10-day wash-out period separated the two treatments. Periodontal indices were evaluated before (baseline) and 1 and 10 days after GD. Interleukin 1β, interleukin 6 and tumour necrosis factor α concentrations in gingival crevicular fluid were measured before and 1 day after GD. Subjective parameters (pain, unpleasant taste and stress) were also evaluated. Data were analysed by one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and Tukey's test (immunological factors), the Friedman test (periodontal parameters) and Fisher's exact or chi-squared test (subjective parameters), with a significance level of 95%. Gingival bleeding index, probing depth and plaque index values did not differ significantly between groups at any timepoint. Neither technique resulted in worse periodontal indices. Both techniques yielded similar results for pain and unpleasant taste, but conventional GD was significantly more stressful than cordless GD for volunteers. Both treatments significantly increased mean concentrations of the three cytokines, with the conventional technique producing the highest cytokine levels. Cordless GD is less stressful for patients and results in lower post-treatment levels of inflammatory cytokines compared with conventional GD.