Our mouth is full of bones. Our teeth and jaw provide the structure and support our mouth needs to function. Unfortunately, our mouths are also full of bacteria, bacteria that can cause serious damage to these bones.
When plaque builds up, a sticky film full of bacteria that forms on our teeth during the day, the bacteria can infect our gums. Periodontal infections can progress when left unchecked and lead to gum inflammation and the destruction of the bones that support the teeth in our mouths.
Researchers from the UConn School of Dental Medicine’s Department of Oral Health and Diagnostic Sciences received $267,527 from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to work on developing a better way to treat this condition.
Dr. Efi Ioannidou, who serves as the principal investigator on this project, and co-investigator Dr. Patricia Diaz will address current deficiencies in periodontal therapy by developing clearer guidelines for antibiotic prescribing for non-surgical periodontal therapy. Their first task is to understand antibiotic prescribing behavior in the dental community through a national survey.
“We are excited to be working with her American Dental Association and American Academy of Periodontology to investigate antibiotic prescribing patterns by professionals’.
Periodontitis (gingivitis) in different stages affects 10-45% of the population. As gum disease progresses, bacteria-filled pockets develop between the tooth and the gums. Currently, scaling and root planing (SRP) is the standard treatment for periodontitis for all patients regardless of their demographic, microbial, medical, and behavioral profile. With SRP, the dentist or hygienist scrapes hardened plaque away from the pockets, allowing them to heal and close.
However, SRP, which is used as the only non-surgical treatment for periodontal disease, has some significant shortcomings. Although it is somewhat effective, studies have shown that people do not respond in the same way to SRP and often harmful bugs remain in the pocket preventing the gums from fully healing. These deficiencies can lead to the need for additional painful and expensive surgical procedures.
Systemic or topical antibiotics along with SRP have been shown to be an effective alternative to control bacteria in periodontal pockets and promote healing. However, there are no clear guidelines as to who may benefit most from a course of antibiotics combined with SRP therapy.
This study aims to survey a representative sample of general dentists and periodontists to better understand the frequency and rationale of antibiotic use in combination with SRP.
“Given the antibiotic stewardship priorities of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), our goal is to generate empirical evidence on the appropriate use of antibiotics during non-surgical periodontal therapy,” says Dr. Ioannidou. .
Dr. Ioannidou received her DDS from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and her graduate education at UConn. She is a clinical scientist trained in Periodontology and is a tenured professor at the School of Dentistry, where she serves as director of the Center for Dental Clinical Research. Her research addresses clinical and translational questions regarding the anti-inflammatory effect of periodontal interventions on systemic health, as well as chronic kidney disease. She is currently the associate editor of JDR Clinical and Translational Research and a member-at-large of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) Board of Directors.
Dr. Diaz received her DDS from Universidad CES, Colombia. He also holds a Ph.D. from the University of Adelaide, Australia. She was an NIH postdoctoral fellow and her laboratory studies the dynamics of oral microbial communities in health and disease. It specifically focuses on the interactions between members of the oral microbial community and the interactions of the microbiome with adjacent mucosal tissues.
NIH grant number: 1R34DE027410-01
