Herpesviruses in chronic and aggressive periodontitis patients in an Indian population.

Many recent studies have assessed the prevalence and role of herpesviruses in the etiopathogenesis of periodontal diseases, which has led to the realization of intricate interactions between viruses and bacteria within periodontal pockets. It has also been shown that the occurrence of herpesviruses may vary depending upon the age of the patient and the race of the population studied. Thus, the present study aimed at detecting herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV 1 and 2), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in periodontal pockets of Indian patients with chronic and aggressive periodontitis. Subgingival plaque samples (n = 33) were collected from 19 randomly chosen chronic periodontitis and 14 aggressive periodontitis patients. Herpesviruses were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction technique. Chronic periodontitis patients revealed presence of HSV-1 in 19 (100%) samples, HSV-2 in 3 (15.7%), EBV in 15 (78.9%) and HCMV in 5 (26.31%) samples. Samples from aggressive periodontitis patients showed the presence of HSV-1 in 8 (57.14%), EBV in 4 (28.57%) and HCMV in 1 (7.14%), whereas HSV-2 was not detected in any specimen. In this population, herpesviruses were found more frequently in chronic periodontitis than in aggressive periodontitis patients and their prevalence may vary according to the age and race of the patient.

Vaccination against periodontitis: the saga continues.

Periodontal disease can be considered to be one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases inflicting humans. With the advent of advanced molecular diagnostic techniques, a better understanding of the role of specific pathogens and the contributory role of the host immune response in the initiation and progression of periodontal disease has been possible - although not completely. However, successful vaccine development that fully utilizes the current level of understanding has not yet occurred for human use. This paper reviews various in vitro, animal studies and human trials undertaken to develop a vaccine against periodontal disease, with emphases on the shortfalls of these efforts and future prospects of developing a successful vaccine against periodontal disease.

End stage renal disease and its dental management.

In recent years, the incidence of renal disease has become more common in middle-aged to geriatric patients. This has led to greater exposure of dental surgeons to patients with renal disease and on hemodialysis. This article highlights the clinical features of patients with end-stage renal disease, the oral manifestations and the precautions to be taken while managing them in a dental setting.

Gingival recession and pathologic migration due to an unusual habit.

Various etiologies are implicated as causes of gingival recession and pathological tooth migration, most prevalent among these being the tissue destruction caused by periodontal pathogens. One of the least documented causes is a parafunctional habit, such as digit-sucking or sucking on objects like pencils, pens or toothpicks, all of which can lead to adverse effects on the dentition and the periodontal tissues resulting in midline diastema, alveolar bone loss, gingival recession, mobility, and ultimately tooth loss. This case report describes the periodontal injury caused by an unusual habit of placing a coin between the mandibular anterior teeth. The potential effects of this habit on the dentition and periodontium are discussed; the preventive measures to be taken and the outline for the management of such cases, to ensure periodontal health of the patient are dealt with in this report.