Multiverse shattering information was recently released for those suffering from periodontal disease. Studies performed with mice where the blocking function of a blood-clotting protein called ‘fibrin’ was regulated showed great results for preventing bone loss, inflammatory disorders, arthritis, and sclerosis! This may be the secret to preventing gum disease in humans in the future.
To learn why periodontal disease is a common issue and how this study can have major implications on future treatments of gum disease, read on.
What is periodontal disease, how is it caused, and can it be fixed?
Periodontal disease (gum disease) is a serious infection that when gone untreated, can damage your soft tissues and the bone that supports your teeth and lead to tooth loss. This study offers a solution that has massive benefits as gum disease is very common (it affects 50% of people over 30 and 70% of people over 65 years old).
Periodontal disease starts by causing inflammation to your gums but as it develops it causes teeth loss due to bone damage. As this condition becomes more severe it will affect your productivity and daily life. Your dentist can cure gingivitis at the early stages of the disease with regular dental cleanings and check-ups. But once gingivitis progresses in severity it can only be treated – never cured.
Summary of the study’s key findings
Scientists at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) used animal and human data and discovered that the build-up of fibrin results in an increased immune system response that damages your gums and bones. Until now it has been unknown what caused the increased immune system response and the associated tissue damage.
Fibrin is meant to help protect against injury or inflammation by helping to activate immune cells to combat infection and form blood clots. However, having too much of this protein can lead to various health problems including a rare form of periodontitis due to plasminogen (PLG) deficiency. Variants of this PLG gene in affected patients can lead to fibrin build-up causing diseases in the mouth like gum disease.
The scientists explored this connection by studying PLG deficiencies in mice along with analyzing the genetic data of humans. The mice with a PLG deficiency developed periodontal bone loss as the fibrin levels and immune cells in their gums increased just like in common forms of periodontitis. Even though these cells typically defend the oral cavities, too much of almost any good thing can cause damage.
To discover whether or not fibrin was responsible for the increased immune response (Neutrophil cells), the researchers impaired fibrin’s ability to interact with the immune cells that can cause tissue damage. As a result, the decreased reaction prevented the periodontal bone loss in PLG-deficient mice and normal mice that had the disease due to their age.
The evidence was supported by genetic analysis of over 1000 people, linking variants of the PLG gene to an increased periodontitis risk in both common and rare cases of the disease. Interfering with increased levels of fibrin can also lead to curing other diseases like arthritis and sclerosis that are caused by an abnormal increase in this protein.
Conclusion: Fibrin build-up can lead to gum disease eventually causing tooth loss
The study suggests that fibrin can cause an increased immune response of cells in the gums that can lead to bone loss. It can be caused by changes in genetics like PLG or chronic inflammation (by a bacterial infection) that creates a harmful neutrophil response leading to gum disease. If you want to get your fibrin levels calculated, your doctor may be able to order you a test to see if you have an abnormal level of fibrin in your blood.
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If you enjoyed this article check out this oral health blog post and our other blogs.
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