Genetic test and periodontal disease

Periodontitis initiated by specific bacteria that activate host mechanisms destroying bone and connective tissues that support the teeth. It has a relative high prevalence in the population, representing the greatest cause of tooth loss. Like any other inflammatory condition, periodontal diseases might pose additional risk for susceptible people, contributing to serious diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke, preterm low birth weight babies, and the regulation of blood glucose level in diabetics or respiratory diseases. At the present time, diagnosis of periodontal disease relies primarily on clinical and radiographic. Thus, application of microbial diagnosis in periodontics is limited. The role of genetic factors in periodontal disease is now well recognized and genetic susceptibility test became commercially available.