It has long been assumed that all chronic periodontitis is the same no matter where one lives in the world. But some scientists have wondered whether the bacterial composition of the oral biofilm—the sticky, mat-like microbial communities that form on teeth and cause chronic periodontitis—might vary geographically. In the November 2004 issue of the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research grantees and their colleagues reported for the first time that this is indeed the case. In a study of more than 300 patients with chronic periodontitis from Sweden, the United States, Brazil, and Chile, they found clear geographical differences in the bacterial content of dental plaque obtained from the periodontal lesions. Plaque samples were analyzed, and marked variations in the microbial profiles were found from country to country, even after adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, and other factors. The researchers found that the proportions of the pathogens are different in people with chronic periodontitis from these countries. For example, one pathogen that is present in high concentration in Brazil might be somewhat lower in Sweden. The pattern of colonization is not the same geographically. These findings suggest that because different microbial profiles are found in oral biofilms throughout the world, treatment responses with a given therapy might be different geographically.
Source:
www.nidcr.nih.gov/NewsAndReports/media/
Accessed January 26, 2005
