Advances in dental research, by gum! - genetics may account for large part of adult gum disease

Science News, March 26, 1988

Advances in dental research, by gum!

A significant amount of adult gum disease may be inherited, according to scientists from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry in Minneapolis. Preliminary results from a study of 30 pairs of fraternal and identical twins suggest that genetics may account for 50 to 75 percent of chronic adult gum disease. The researchers will continue to gather data from twins reared together and reared apart to learn how genetics and the environment contribute to gum disease. They presented their study, which was done in cooperation with the university's Minnesota Center for Twin and Adoption Research, on March 12 in Montreal at the annual meeting of the International Association for Dental Research.

A new method for detecting gum disease was also described at the Montreal meeting. Successful clinical trials of a temperature probe that rapidly detects gum disease were reported by scientists from the Forsyth Dental Center of Boston and ABIOMED, Inc., of Danvers, Mass. The device is a microprocessor-based probe with a disposable tip that measures gum temperature, correlating minute temperature differences with the presence of gum diseases. The researchers predict that the device will enable dentists to detect gum disease before extensive gum damage occurs. The machine also monitored the decrease in gum disease following antibiotic treatment. It will be tested further before being marketed.