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June 21, 2006
A Return to the Focal Infection Theory? Dentistry and Systemic Diseases
While preparing our forthcoming exhibit on the history of dentistry in Michigan, I stumbled across a clever little rhyme that was presented in the entertainment column of the MDA Journal.
There was a little man and he had a little fang
And a billion or so of strepto bugs were in it.
A dentist of renown said I'll put thereon a crown,
For I need all the money there is in it.
Thereupon he made a start; The bugs traveled to the heart,
Of the little man, I really hate to sing it,
For soon there was no little fang, There was no little man,
The tale's too sad, I can't go on, Oh why did I begin it?
Buzzer, A. [pseud.?] "Saydiograms." Michigan State Dental Society Bulletin (June 1924) 6:28.
With that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to highlight a few of this year's articles on the relationship between periodontal disease and various systemic diseases, a recently resurfacing concept very similar to the earlier discredited focal infection theory which, in its heyday, gave rise to the rhyme above.
Each of the articles below was published this year, and either describes a systemic disease as a complication of periodontal diseases or describes periodontal disease as a risk factor for the systemic disease. The Shetty article proposes a mechanism for this -- that the periodontal infection may contribute to immunosuppression.
Al-Zahrani MS. Kayal RA. Bissada NF. Periodontitis and cardiovascular disease: a review of shared risk factors and new findings supporting a causality hypothesis. Quintessence International. 37(1):11-8, 2006 Jan.
UI: 16429698
D'Aiuto F. Parkar M. Nibali L. Suvan J. Lessem J. Tonetti MS. Periodontal infections cause changes in traditional and novel cardiovascular risk factors: results from a randomized controlled clinical trial. American Heart Journal. 151(5):977-84, 2006 May.
UI: 16644317
Moss KL. Mauriello S. Ruvo AT. Offenbacher S. White RP Jr. Beck JD. Reliability of third molar probing measures and the systemic impact of third molar periodontal pathology. Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. 64(4):652-8, 2006 Apr.
UI: 16546645
Schara R. Medvescek M. Skaleric U. Periodontal disease and diabetes metabolic control: a full-mouth disinfection approach. Journal of the International Academy of Periodontology. 8(2):61-6, 2006 Apr.
UI: 16623181
Shetty K. The role of salivary cytokines in the etiology and progression of periodontal disease. General Dentistry. 54(2):140-3; quiz 144, 2006 Mar-Apr.
UI: 16689073
Xiong X. Buekens P. Fraser WD. Beck J. Offenbacher S. Periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 113(2):135-43, 2006 Feb.
UI: 16411989
Posted by pfa at June 21, 2006 04:27 PM