Angiogenesis in Periodontal Disease

Gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis) is a common inflammatory condition affecting the tissues that support the teeth. Smoking is known to make gum disease worse and to affect blood vessel health in the gums. This study looks at two proteins, KLF2 and FBXW7, which are involved in blood vessel formation, to understand their role in gum disease and whether smoking changes their levels. Researchers measured these proteins, along with two other markers of inflammation and blood vessel activity (VEGF and NF-κB), in fluid collected from around the teeth and in saliva from healthy adults who were either smokers or non-smokers, with healthy gums, gingivitis, or periodontitis. The goal is to better understand how smoking and gum disease affect blood vessel-related proteins in the mouth.

Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion criteria for the Healthy Control group: * presence of ≥ 20 teeth in the mouth * probing pocket depth (PPD) ≤ 3 mm * the percentage of bleeding sites for the whole mouth \< 10%, * on radiographic examination, a distance of ≤ 3 mm between the cemento-enamel junction and the alveolar bone crest in 95% of all teeth. Inclusion criteria for the Gingivitis group were * presence of ≥ 20 teeth in the mouth * PPD ≤ 3 mm, -% of bleeding sites for the whole mouth ≥ 10%, * on radiographic examination, a distance of ≤ 3 mm between the cemento-enamel junction and the alveolar bone crest in 95% of all teeth. Inclusion criteria for the Stage 3 Periodontitis group * presence of ≥ 15 teeth in the mouth * more than 30% of teeth affected by periodontal disease * affected teeth exhibiting probing depths of 6 mm or more * clinical attachment loss (CAL) of ≥ 5 mm, * vertical bone loss of 3 mm or more * class 2 or 3 furcation involvement * radiographic evidence of alveolar bone loss extending to the middle third and beyond (33%) in the relevant teeth Exclusion Criteria: * presence of any systemic disease * regular use of any medication * pregnancy or lactation * periodontal treatment within the last 6 months * antibiotic use within the last 6 months * the presence of prosthetic restorations on the teeth to be sampled