Two New Studies Give Hope to Periodontitis Sufferers

Two recent discoveries by researchers around the globe are yielding promising results for those suffering from chronic periodontitis. Periodontitis is a gum infection that if left untreated, damages both the soft tissue and bones surrounding the teeth- and can eventually lead to their loss. Periodontitis is also responsible for a variety of illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, dementia, rheumatoid arthritis, and even certain cancers. But now, universities in the US and Australia have released two unrelated studies that offer hope to those who suffer from chronic periodontitis. Dr. Gary Lederman of Bellmore, NY discusses these findings.

For the past 15 years, oral health researchers at the University of Melbourne have been working with biotherapeutics company CSL to develop the world’s first chronic periodontitis vaccine. The vaccine is said to target enzymes that are produced by the bacteria P. Gingivalis, one of the causes of chronic periodontitis. "The vaccine operates under the theory that P. Gingivalis is a ‘keystone pathogen.' The keystone pathogen hypothesis is the theory that some low-abundance microbial pathogens can create inflammatory diseases by changing a normally benign community of microorganisms into a damaged one," Explains Dr. Lederman.

In the lab, the vaccine was able to significantly reduce the tissue damage associated with periodontitis, however, clinical trials in humans will not begin until approximately 2018.

In the other study, which was conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, researchers aimed to reverse the progression of periodontitis by using an inhibitor protein called C3 that the body already produces as part of its natural inflammatory and immune response. Researchers applied the inhibitor, which they named "Cp40" via injection to affected periodontal tissue once a week, and were able to reverse periodontitis inflammation successfully. Clinical trials for Cp40 will begin soon as well.

We asked Dr. Lederman which of these treatments he believes will be most successful "Right now, both look extremely promising. However, the real test will be who gets their treatment to the market first." Dr. Lederman believes that could likely be the Cp40 treatment, based solely on geography. "Often it takes the US longer to get medical treatments and devices from other countries, because even though they may be cleared for use in their country of origin, these products must still undergo stringent FDA testing before they can be made available in the US. On the other hand, products developed in the US have a ‘home -team advantage’ if you will, because they can go straight through the FDA testing right out of the gate." Either way, Dr. Lederman is optimistic that all this research into periodontitis will start yielding more effective results soon enough. "It’s my hope that someday periodontitis will never get to a point where we see the kinds of permanent tissue and bone loss that we see today."