Forsyth Institute Receives $20.7 to Fight Periodontal Disease

Forsyth Institute Receives $20.7 to Fight Periodontal Disease

The Forsyth Institute , the world’s leading independent, oral health research organization, has received $20.7 million to fight periodontal disease. Three related projects will study periodontal disease progression from microbiological, genetic, host immune response and clinical perspectives. This research, funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), will take place over a four-year period. The ultimate goal is to gain an understanding of why people develop gum disease, how the disease progresses, how to predict active disease before it occurs, and ultimately, how therapies can be developed to improve periodontal and overall health.

According to the Forsyth Institute, forty percent of adults in the United States have some form of periodontal disease. It is one of the most common infectious diseases and, in its more severe forms, causes loss of the bone that supports the teeth. In addition, there are strong associations between periodontal disease and systemic diseases including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, pre-term birth, and certain cancers.

Previous work at Forsyth has demonstrated that the progression of the disease is not continuous, but is episodic. Thus, to understand its pathogenesis, patients must be studied to identify sites in the mouth that are undergoing active disease progression, which is the focus of these studies.  The Forsyth projects, respectively led by Dr. Ricardo Teles, Director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research; Dr. Bruce Paster, Head, Department of Molecular Genetics; and Dr. Jorge Frias-Lopez, Assistant Member of Staff, Department of Molecular Genetics, will examine clinical parameters, expression of host derived molecules, bacterial ecology, and bacterial gene expression during active disease. It will also seek to identify biomarkers in blood, saliva, and gingival crevicular fluid (a fluid that oozes from the gum margin) samples from 500 individuals, both with and without existing gum disease. The data gathered by Forsyth’s scientists as well as aliquots of the samples will be made available to the scientific community and will represent the largest available information base and depository of samples for periodontal disease.

“The knowledge developed through these three linked projects will provide unique and extraordinarily valuable insights into the periodontal disease process, as well as serve as a one of a kind resource to the scientific community,” said Philip Stashenko, President and CEO of The Forsyth Institute. “This work represents the multidisciplinary epitome of periodontal disease research. We may be able to finally lay a firm foundation to understand why periodontal disease progresses. It is extremely rare for three projects to receive awards linked to one clinical trial, and this support from NIDCR is a testament to the promise of this research.”

The three projects were funded due to the strength of each projects and the overall potential impact of the collaborative research. The Forsyth team will also work with four other oral health research centers around the country. The Michigan Center for Oral Health Research is the first clinical research partner. Four additional research facilities will join the project shortly.

Certain Diets May Increase Inflammation, Allergies

Certain Diets May Increase Inflammation, Allergies

The incidence of asthma has been on the rise in the United States for the past decade, and recent research – conducted outside of America – may shed a little light on the rising trend.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, compared children from a rural African village whose diets were rich in natural sources of fiber and fatty acids to children living in Florence, Italy. The Italian children ate higher quantities of meat, fat and sugar.

Researchers found that the African children had less obesity-linked bacteria and a greater abundance of fatty acids which protect against inflammation causing asthma, eczema and other allergic reactions.

They also found that Italian children who were still breast-feeding harbored beneficial bacteria resembling the African children’s, indicating diet may dominate other factors such as ethnicity, sanitation, geography or climate, say the researchers.

Pediatrician Dr Paolo Lionetti, of Florence University, and colleagues said children in industrialized countries (like America) who eat low-fiber, high-sugar ‘Western’ diets may reduce microbial richnes, potentially contributing to a rise in allergic and inflammatory diseases in the last half-century.

A rise in new diseases such as allergic, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) both in adults and in children has been observed in industrialized countries, noted the researchers, and it is hypothesized that improvements in hygiene together with decreased microbial exposure in childhood are considered responsible for this increase.

“The gastrointestinal microflora plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of IBD and recent studies demonstrate obesity is associated with imbalance in the normal gut microbiota.”

Study Links Hypertension, Periodontal Bacteria

More Research Regarding the Relationship Between Oral Health and Cardiovascular Health

Study Links Hypertension, Periodontal Bacteria

The hundreds of bacteria in the human mouth are there for a reason. Many of them are completely innocuous bacteria that like the conditions of the human mouth – it is, after all, warm, dark and wet, which are ideal conditions for growing many types of bacteria.

A handful of the bacteria in the mouth help support the health of teeth and gums. Another handful of bacteria found in the human mouth can be harmful not only to oral health, but to the health of the body as a whole.

Researchers believe that the true link between oral health and heart health lies in the balance of those bacteria.
A recent study published in the May 5, 2010 edition of the Journal of Hypertension revealed that those with significantly higher levels of periodontal bacteria in plaque samples of those with hypertension.

Seven investigators from Columbia University, the University of Miami, the University of Minnesota, and the French School of Public Health collected 4,533 subgingival plaque samples from 653 patients enrolled in the Oral Infections and Vascular Disease Epidemiology Study (INVEST). They analyzed the samples for the presence of 11 different species of periodontal bacteria, including Actinomyces naeslundii and Prevotella intermedia.

The researchers, led by Moise Desvarieux, M.D., Ph.D., found that the odds ratio for prevalent hypertension was 3.05 among the patients in the highest tertile of bacterial burden compared to those in the lowest tertile.

The team found that, after adjusting for conventional risk factors, the mean systolic blood pressure increased significantly with increasing cumulative bacterial burden, at 136, 138, and 143 mmHg for the first, second, and third tertile, respectively (p = 0.0004). The diastolic blood pressure also increased significantly, at 77, 79, and 81 mmHg, respectively.

The prevalence of hypertension was 57%, 62%, and 68%, respectively. This translated into more than threefold higher odds of hypertension between the third and first tertiles; after further adjustment for white blood cell count and titer of hs-CRP, this rose to 3.93. The increase between the first and third tertiles in both hypertension and diastolic blood pressure was more than twice as large for men as for women, while the increase in systolic blood pressure was nearly three times as large in men.

Have You Heard of Oral Care Probiotics?

When Someone Asks…

Have You Heard of Oral Care Probiotics?

Our bodies are homes to thousands of bacteria. Many of those bacteria simply live in and on our bodies because they are simply a convenient environment in which to live. Some of the bacteria in and on our bodies can be harmful (think of skin infections) while still others are beneficial (think of how bacteria in the gut are said to aid in digestion).

Probiotics are live microbial organisms that are naturally present throughout the body. They are often referred to as “beneficial” or “good” bacteria. Because there are bacterial colonies throughout the body, there are different types of probiotics to support good health.

Oral Care Probiotics

There has been much media attention given to the effectiveness of probiotics of to assist in digestion. So, too, are there probiotics that can help support gum and tooth health by competing with harmful bacteria for both nutrients and space in the mouth. In doing so, oral care probiotics also help eliminate the bacteria that creates the volatile sulfur compounds responsible for bad breath.

Oral care probiotics are available in the convenient, easy-to-use, travel-friendly form of mints to be taken twice per day after brushing. Called EvoraPlus, these probiotic mints are available at many major retailers and online.

EvoraPlus also offers a completely safe and natural way to gently whiten teeth to their maximum potential by producing a byproduct of a continuous low dose of natural hydrogen peroxide. Because it is such a low dose of hydrogen peroxide, there are none of the negative side effects associated with using other over-the-counter whitening products, which instead employ high doses of harsh, chemical hydrogen peroxide.

EvoraPlus oral care probiotics offer a cutting edge solution for tooth and gum health, fresher breath and naturally whiter teeth.

Dentists Help Doctors Co-Manage Osteoporosis

Bone-Loss Associated with Both Periodontal Disease and Osteoporosis

Dentists Help Doctors Co-Manage Osteoporosis

Dentists might be able to help prevent bone loss in the mouths of patients with osteoporosis by helping keep periodontal disease at bay, according to a study published in the Journal of Periodontology.

Researchers involved in the 2007 study examined more than 1,200 postmenopausal women looking for a potential association between the bacteria responsible for periodontal disease and bone loss in the oral cavity.

The study showed that women with harmful bacteria in their mouths were also more likely to already have bone loss in their mouths, which, left untreated, could lead to tooth loss.

A follow-up study concluded that tooth loss could be managed and even reduced if periodontal disease is under control in those patients who suffer osteoporosis.

Additional studies have concluded that estrogen deficiency not only increases the progression of osteopenia and osteoporosis – it also contributes to periodontal disease. The study concluded that decreasing gingival inflammation is critical to reduce the amount of attachment loss in women with signs of osteoporosis. Researchers found that protecting the fibers and bone that support the teeth significantly reduced the risk of tooth loss.

These studies draw researchers to the conclusion that postmenopausal women, and especially those with signs of osteoporosis, must work diligently with their dental team to help prevent bone loss in the oral cavity and tooth loss.  One way to do that is to help manage the harmful bacteria known to cause periodontal disease.

Forsyth Institute Contributes to Microbiome Project

Forsyth Institute Contributes to Microbiome Project

Scientists from The Forsyth Institute are making a significant contribution to the Human Microbiome Project (HMP), which is seeking to identify and sequence the thousands of species of bacteria that inhabit human body surfaces.

The Harvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute has provided more oral bacteria to the HMP than any other institution, according to institute officials. Genome sequences of these bacteria are being determined in collaboration with the four HMP sequencing centers. These sequences will allow the scientific community to analyze the disease-causing potential of oral microorganisms.

Studying human-bacteria interactions could lead to new ways to monitor human health status and to new methods for preventing or treating oral and systemic human diseases. The Forsyth efforts are supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH. The mission of the HMP is to enable comprehensive characterization of the human microbiota and to determine its role in human health and disease.

“Many of the strains that we have identified, and are making available to the scientific community, are unnamed and previously uncultured species,” said Dr. Floyd Dewhirst, who is part of the Forsyth scientific team. The team also includes Dr. Jacques Izard and Dr. Anne Tanner. “The availability of these strains will allow scientists worldwide to study them for the first time.”

“Researchers can now tackle key questions about these bacteria that comprise communities called ‘biofilms’ and really determine how those bacteria interact with one another and with their human host,” said Dr. Jacques Izard.

This work was also supported by other members of the Department of Molecular Genetics at Forsyth including Drs. Tsute Chen and Bruce Paster, and Oxana Baranova, Jessica Blanton, and Jennifer Mathney. A key collaborator was Dr. William Wade, Kings College London, London, UK. The long-term goals of the Forsyth team are to determine the molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis, particularly in oral diseases. Understanding host-pathogen interactions is essential for developing successful interventions and preventive treatments.

Source:
Jennifer Kelly
Forsyth Institute

Your Patient’s Bad Breath is Likely Caused by a Common Bacteria

Goodbye, Halitosis!

Your Patient’s Bad Breath is Likely Caused by a Common Bacteria

The human mouth is filled with hundreds of bacteria. Many of those bacteria are simply hanging out in the mouth because it’s a nice dark and wet place to live. A few of those bacteria, however, create a waste product called “volatile sulfur compounds” (VSCs) – the root cause of many cases of halitosis (bad breath).

The term “volatile” simply describes the fact that these compounds evaporate readily, even at normal temperatures. The extreme volatility of VSCs explains how these compounds have the ability to offend those around us, instantly.

A person’s mouth is home to  hundreds of different species of bacteria. And on going in our mouth, at all times, is a constant battle for living space between the types of bacteria which do create waste products that cause bad breath and those that don’t. And it is the precise balance between the relative numbers of these two different types of bacteria that will ultimately determine the quality of a person’s breath.

An accumulation of dental plaque creates the perfect conditions for VSC-causing bacteria to thrive on the surfaces of teeth and deep below the gum line. As more and more plaque builds up in a person’s mouth, the bacteria that cause bad breath gain available living space and proliferate, thus increasing the level of odor causing compounds that escape with each breath that is exhaled.

If brushing and flossing alone were enough to combat these VSC-causing bacteria, those who have pretty good dental habits should always have good breath. But bad breath is obviously not always the result of poor dental hygiene, and if antibacterial mouthwashes were the answer, then the same would be true – no one would ever have bad breath.

The true key to eliminating halitosis is to crowd out those VSC-causing bacteria. Probiotic oral care bacteria compete with the bacteria responsible for bad breath. By consuming the same nutrients as the bad-breath-causing bacteria and fighting with them for space on the surfaces of teeth and below the gum line, probiotics crowd out the smelly bacteria and make breath fresh around the clock.

Science at the Service of the Person

An Interview with Dr. Jeffrey Hillman of Oragenics

By Deacon Keith Fournier
5/14/2010
Catholic Online

In 2008 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith in the Catholic Church issued their instruction on the “Dignity of the Human Person.” It began with these words “The dignity of a person must be recognized in every human being from conception to natural death. This fundamental principle expresses a great ‘yes’ to human life and must be at the center of ethical reflection on biomedical research, which has an ever greater importance in today’s world.”

The instruction offers “…a word of support and encouragement for the perspective on culture which considers science an invaluable service to the integral good of the life and dignity of every human being. The Church therefore views scientific research with hope and desires that many Christians will dedicate themselves to the progress of biomedicine and will bear witness to their faith in this field. She hopes moreover that the results of such research may also be made available in areas of the world that are poor and afflicted by disease, so that those who are most in need will receive humanitarian assistance.”

As someone who believes deeply that the Catholic Church gives a great “Yes to Life” I am “on the lookout” for men, women and organizations who view science this way. One of the often repeated fallacies one reads in the media is that the Catholic Church opposes Stem Cell research. The truth is the Church opposes deadly stem cell research such as research on human embryos which always results in taking the life of the embryonic human person. It is immoral to take innocent human life even if one can then use parts of the human person who has been killed to develop a potential cure for another.

The Church wholeheartedly supports research on Adult Stem Cells and cells derived from fetal cord blood. Neither type of stem cell research results in the taking of innocent human lives. They also show tremendous promise! As an example of the encouragement of life affirming stem cell research, a spokesman for the Vatican recently made known their strong support for the research being conducted at the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine using adult stem cells.

As a father of five grown children and grandfather to six, I am well aware of the many needs involved in raising healthy children.  That includes their moral, emotional, spiritual and physical health. Of course, their physical health includes their oral hygiene. Research shows the connection between overall health and good oral hygiene.  As a 55 year old man who lost my father to heart disease, I am sensitized to that subject. I was surprised years ago to find the connection between oral and heart disease.

Dental disease is a quiet, yet growing, national epidemic.  New studies, including recently-published reports from the Mayo Clinic, confirm that periodontal disease and poor oral health are linked to heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other illnesses.  American Dental Association studies show that three out of four of Americans are affected by periodontal disease at some point in their lives. My friend, Catholic Online’s own Dr. Denton, has taught me much about an integrative approach to health which respects the unity of the human person, body, soul and spirit. He has helped me understand the connection between overall health and what he calls “beautiful living.”

I recently became interested in the science of probiotics which respects the amazing curative qualities of our own body. There are both good and bad bacteria in our systems all the time. The good bacteria are the most effective way to minimize the damaging effects of the bad bacteria. We have seen the application of probiotics in the growing number of products, including yogurt, which promote overall digestive health.

Recently I read of an extraordinary application of probiotics in oral health. It was developed by Dr. Jeffrey Hillman, D.M.D., Ph.D. It is the result of more than 25 years of research which began at the Harvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute in Boston and continued at the University of Florida. The technology has only recently become available for the general public. It provides what is called Replacement Therapy for preventing dental caries or cavities.

I sought an interview with Dr. Hillman through a mutual friend. He gladly assented. I found this him to be humble, self effacing, approachable and genuinely committed to good science at the service of the human person and the common good. His academic and professional credentials are extraordinary. However, what really impressed me was his dedication to his work. He told me “People tend to take a simple approach to oral care in our culture. We think in terms of killing all of the bacteria that are present in the mouth. But it’s just not that simple; the human mouth contains many … types of bacteria, including some that are helpful to us.”

It made a lot of sense to me. As the interview progressed I saw the myriad of applications of the Doctor’s discovery. He holds over a dozen patents and has spent his career trying to alleviate suffering. He told me “tooth decay is the most common infectious disease in the world.” I had never really considered that fact. Now, every morning as I brush my teeth I think of it.

I was intrigued when the good Doctor told me he was inspired by Louis Pasteur. Like Pasteur, Dr. Hillman is serious about the potential of science to lessen human suffering. The faith of Pasteur drove his scientific genius toward the good. Above his tomb in the Pasteur Institute are engraved these words “Happy the man who bears within him a divinity, an ideal of beauty and obeys it; an ideal of art, and ideal of science, an ideal of country, and ideal of the virtues of the Gospel.” It is reported that Pasteur died with a rosary in his hand after listening to the life of St. Vincent de Paul.

Dr. Hillman was impressed with the scientists’ genuine humanism and Pasteur’s discovery that there are good bacteria which might one day be used to fight bad bacteria. Pasteur’s scientific discoveries have led to many scientific advances.  Dr. Hillman told me that his idea of expanding probiotic science, the use of good bacteria to combat the bad, in the arena of oral health care was “like a light bulb going off in my head.” He has dedicated over thirty years to this project.

His father told him “If we can succeed in preventing tooth decay we can apply it to other bacteria” and he set about to do just that. In our extensive interview he explained it to me, a non-scientist, in this very understandable way, “The human body is extraordinarily complex. There are 1,000 or more different types of bacteria. They don’t want to hurt us. We feed them, we clothe them, and we take them to the movies. There are relatively few bacteria which can hurt us. We are simply helping the body by improving on the marvelous design, to prevent them from doing so.”

Doctor Hillman has patented his discoveries and now makes it all available in a line of oral health care products for adults and children.  I also heard of the unique business relationship which has been entered into to distribute the products. The Florida-based biotechnology company Oragenics, Inc., (OTCBB:ORNI) and RICCI PHARMA, a recognized health products company with offices in Rome and Slovakia, have entered into a distribution agreement that the parties anticipate will provide Oragenics’ proprietary oral care probiotic products, EvoraPlus® and EvoraKids^TM, to RICCI PHARMA.

RICCI PHARMA will then  have exclusive distribution rights through Duc in Altum, a foundation whose humanitarian projects are inspired by the social teachings of the late Pope John Paul II. Duc in Altum’s honorary chairman is the Polish Pope’s former private secretary for over 30 years, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, currently Archbishop of Krakow. The foundation, whose projects are known by the Holy See and encouraged by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, is expected to further promote Oragenics’ products with the Church’s capillary network of health services.

When the interview ended I was happy to have discovered one more dedicated medical professional promoting science at the service of the human person and the common good.

Changing the Bacterial Composition of Plaque

Changing the Bacterial Composition of Plaque

Bacteria is the Bad Guy When it Comes to Plaque

If simple plaque removal was enough to prevent cavities and periodontal disease, then anyone with decent brushing habits shouldn’t need to worry about cavities or periodontal disease, right? Right. So what can be done to improve oral health if brushing and flossing just aren’t cutting it?

We know that plaque is a sticky substance that coats teeth. We know that food sticks to it, and that bacteria lives in it. Some of the bacteria in plaque is harmful, some helpful, and some is just along for the ride, neither helpful nor harmful.

We also know that one bacteria in particular, Streptococcus mutans, is the biggest bad guy in plaque, and that S mutans is the bacteria that takes full advantage of the harm that sugary, carbohydrate-filled foods cause to tooth health.

So what if the answer to the entire quandary is as simple as introducing bacteria that naturally and safely competes with S mutans for both space and nutrients? What if that bacteria could naturally crowd out S mutans and leave the plaque an inert, sticky substance that causes no harm to teeth?

What if it’s not the plaque that harms teeth, not the sugary, carbohydrate-laden foods, but a bacteria that could be removed simply by the introduction of a beneficial bacteria? What if?

EvoraPlus probiotic mints contain the beneficial bacteria that can safely, naturally and effectively crowd out S mutans, leaving plaque a harmless substance that can easily be removed with daily brushing and flossing.

Yes, it really is that simple.

How Bacteria Influences Oral Health

How Bacteria Influences Oral Health

 Our mouths are home to hundreds of bacteria. Most of them are completely harmless and others are helpful and aptly called beneficial bacteria, or probiotics.  The beneficial bacteria not only are part of the digestive process, breaking down food as it’s chewed and swallowed, there are also several bacteria that help maintain tooth and gum health.

There are also some bacteria in the mouth that are not only undesirable, they’re actually destructive when it comes to gum and tooth health.
Researchers have identified one particularly harmful bacteria, known to break down tooth enamel by gorging itself on the carbohydrates in the diet and releasing lactic acid.

What if Brushing and Flossing Don’t Do the Trick?

Instead of trying to eradicate the bacteria with alcohol-laden mouthwashes or even antibiotics, nature offers a much more gentle approach.

Background of Beneficial Bacteria

Many cultures have long used fermented foods to help keep the bacteria of the digestive tract in check. These foods, like yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut all contain active beneficial bacteria, also known as probiotics. Eating these foods can help boost the reserves of beneficial bacteria that are natural residents of the gut. Modern science has led researchers to isolate those bacteria and offer them in supplement form.
Science has revealed that those beneficial bacteria are not just a gut issue

Probiotics for Oral Health

By introducing the natural, resident beneficial bacteria  found in very healthy mouths back into the mouth, you can diminish the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth to numbers that simply can’t cause harm.

This probiotic approach allows the beneficial bacteria naturally found in very healthy mouths to crowd out the harmful bacteria, competing with them for both space and nutrients.

One simple addition to the daily dental routine can make a world of difference in the world of oral health care.