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Oral Biofilm Sampling for Microbiome Analysis in Healthy Children
Published on: December 31, 2017
Genetic and environmental factors in oral health among twins
K Rintakoski1, J Kaprio, H Murtomaa
1Department of Oral Public Health, PL 41, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
Abstract:
To date, studies on the contributions of genetic factors to oral health have been inconclusive. We hypothesized that major dental diseases show a significant genetic component. The study was based on self-reported oral health among young adult twins. The data were derived from the fourth wave of the longitudinal FinnTwin16 study, in which participants completed a questionnaire in 2000-2002 enquiring about the number of filled teeth and the prevalence of gingival bleeding. We used quantitative genetic modeling, based on the genetic similarity of identical and non-identical twins, to calculate the most probable model for both filled teeth and gingival bleeding. The models revealed a strong genetic component behind the number of filled teeth, differing between males (49%) and females (68%), and a weaker genetic component affecting gingival bleeding, being similar for males and females (32%). Genetic factors contribute to inter-individual differences in oral health among young adults.
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