Around 75 percent of American adults are probably suffering from some kind of gum disease. The University of Michigan School of Dentistry has teamed up with Interleukin Genetics Inc. to employ genetic test for analyzing the risk of gum disease. It has been revealed that personalized health care seems to be more vital in finding disease in the early stages itself and avoid it more effectively.
A PST test will be put to use as one part of a periodontitis risk assessment. Scientists believe that genetics are vitally involved in gum disease. Additionally severe gum disease is believed to be a crucial risk factor for other chronic disease complications like heart disease or low birth weight. Data provided by the Michigan-based insurance company will be examined by the experts. The data includes information about 15 years of patient clinical outcome. Investigators will then examine approximately 4,000 patients and receive their genetic information by the PST.
William Giannobile, professor at U-M dentistry and director of the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research at the School of Dentistry, remarked, “It’s an exciting study because it’s a way to use genetic testing to personalize a dental treatment plan and the frequency of dental care visits of patients as it relates to oral care. It’s a way to customize patient care.”
The acquired genetic information will then be compared to common risk factors such as smoking and diabetes. Scientists will estimate tooth survival rates for determining the way those results lined up with the treatment plans people received over the 15 years. It was enlightened that some patients end up paying more dental visits, while others have required less for this ailment. During the PST test, genetic variations are seemingly distinguished. These variations are claimed to predict severe gum disease and tooth loss in some patients.
All ethnic populations can be possible subjected to this test. Experts suggest this test to be conducted only once in a lifetime for determining patients at risk. Genetic variants known to control a protein are apparently identified by the new test. When the protein is overexpressed, it may be correlated to destruction of soft tissue attachment along with bone and elevated severity of gum disease in specific patients. The PST test can be apparently employed by all dental offices. The findings may be beneficial for dentist in determining the precise treatment at the right time.