Research in dentistry is evolving from merely addressing symptoms. A study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh has shown that targeting the immune system in mice can prevent or treat periodontal disease (PD).
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in January and accessible through the National Library of Medicine as of August, the study revealed that microparticles containing the immune-modulating compound CCL2, when delivered directly to the gums, inhibited bone loss and enhanced bone repair in a mouse model of PD.
In an interview with the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Charles Sfeir, associate professor and chair of the Department of Periodontics and Preventive Dentistry at the Pitt School of Dental Medicine, hopes for a future human trial.
“This research is exciting because it has the potential to impact so many people,” Sfeir said.
Dental cleanings don’t always help
While routine dental cleanings can reduce inflammation, he noted that a small percentage of patients still experience bone loss, making this research highly important, especially since effective treatments for aggressive PD remain limited.
“This is where we believe modulating the immune system with a compound like CCL2 could be beneficial,” he added.
Severe PD can result in tooth loss, and government statistics indicate that approximately 6 percent of adult Canadians have lost all their natural teeth, and about 21 percent of adults with teeth have experienced moderate to severe periodontal issues. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that severe periodontal disease affects around 19 percent of adults, representing more than one billion cases.
First author Mostafa Shehabeldin, M.S., Ph.D., who previously worked in Sfeir’s lab and is now an assistant professor of periodontics at UT Health San Antonio, led the research. The team collaborated with Steven Little, Ph.D., distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering in the Swanson School of Engineering. Little developed the microparticles for sustained release of CCL2.
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