The development of commercial laboratory tests utilizing the collection of saliva is, in my opinion, an important step forward in understanding and managing inflammatory periodontal disease. There are, in fact, no tests available that will predict the onset of attachment loss. However, by gathering information on a patient’s genetic inflammatory profile as well as periodontal pathogen profile we have access to objective data when ascertaining risk, or the possible onset of periodontal disease activity.
Determining the risk is especially significant in patients with some compromise of their immune function (i.e. diabetics, smokers, etc.). While the genetic testing provides insight into the patient’s cytokine producing risk, the pathogen profiling gives insight into the pathogenesis and total bacterial burden of the infection. The presence of inflammatory stimuli in combination with elevated levels of certain pathogen groups in a patient with elevated inflammation genetic markers puts the patient at increased risk for an excessive inflammatory response. Looking at the underlying biology can be helpful in, not only predicting risk, but altering the treatment approach and determining monitoring intervals for management.
With time, there will be many additional proof of concept studies. But the good news is that we don’t have to wait. We clearly have available today testing tools to help determine risk and help drive better treatment outcomes.
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He has lectured throughout the United States and Canada for a number of years on the subjects of inflammatory suppression, diagnosis and adjunctive oral cancer screening, and is now very much involved with the development of salivary diagnostics, as a key to management of the periodontal patient.
Dr. Bader is widely recognized as one of today’s leaders in dental education. He has been nominated as one of the top one hundred clinician/educators by Dentistry Today for 2007-2010, and most recently, 2011-2017. He is an emeritus Lecturer in Periodontology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and is widely published in the literature, in both refereed and non-refereed journals. As an actively practicing periodontist he maintains busy part-time practices in Plymouth and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
- Assessing Risk with Salivary Diagnostics - July 14, 2017