Systemic retinoid medication and periodontal health in patients with Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome

Periodontal health in relation to systemic retinoid medication was evaluated retrospectively in patients with Papillon-Lefèvre Syndrome (PLS). The material consisted of 18 children/young adults ranging from 8 to 28 years of age, all with a confirmed diagnosis of PLS. 9 participants, comprising a medication group, had been on long-term (range 1.5-9 years) retinoid medication for their cutaneous lesions. The remaining 9 served as controls. Regardless of whether or not retinoid medication was received, every patient experienced an early and devastating periodontitis, with atypical edematous and erythematous gingiva, suppuration from deep gingival pockets and premature loss of teeth. No correlation could be found between the severity of skin involvement and the severity of periodontal involvement. An improvement with age could be seen for the cutaneous lesions but not for the periodontal condition. Systemic medication with retinoids had a favorable therapeutic effect on cutaneous lesions, and no severe complication/side effect could be seen after several years of continuous use. However, from the results of this study it can be concluded that, at least in a situation with poor compliance of daily oral home-care, no positive effect on the periodontal health in patients with PLS could be seen by the retinoid medication.