Researchers from Queen Mary, University of London, in collaboration with research groups in the USA, have shed light on why the incidence of gum disease tends to increase with old age. Their investigation revealed that deterioration in gum health, which often occurs with increasing age, is associated with a drop in the level of a chemical called Del-1.
Periodontitis, which causes bleeding and bone loss and can lead to loss of teeth, affects about 20 per cent of the UK population and is caused by an overactive immune response to bacteria that grow in the mouth.
The new study investigated gum disease in young and old mice and found that an increase in gum disease in the older animals was accompanied by a drop in the level of Del-1. This protein is known to restrain the immune system by preventing white blood cells from adhering to and attacking mouth tissue.
Mice that had no Del-1 developed severe gum disease and elevated bone loss. Researchers found unusually high levels of white blood cells in their gum tissue.
When they treated the gums of the mice with Del-1, the number of white blood cells decreased, and gum disease and bone loss were reduced.
The researchers hope their findings could form the basis for a new treatment or prevention of gum disease. “Periodontitis is an extremely common problem and we know that the disease tends to be more common as we get older,” said Mike Curtis, Professor of Microbiology at Queen Mary, Director of the Blizard Institute and leader of the microbiological research for the study. “This research sheds some light on why ageing makes us more susceptible, and understanding this mechanism is the first step to an effective treatment.”
The study was published online in the Nature Immunology journal.
