Ottawa Family Dentist Examines HPV and Periodontitis Study

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Ottawa dentists Drs. David Bartos and Mark Northcott discuss a recent study examining a link between oral HPV and periodontitis.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association investigated a potential link between oral human papillomavirus (HPV) and periodontitis, or gum disease.

Ottawa family dentistry pros Drs. David Bartos and Mark Northcott examine the outcomes of this research to highlight oral health’s significant effect on total body health.

Patients with HPV-negative tumors were placed in the control group, and cases were classified as patients with HPV-positive tumors. All patients were previously diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, larynx or oral cavity. Researchers were also granted access to patients’ dental records and tissue samples.

A periodontist examined patients’ teeth for alveolar bone loss in millimeters. Bone loss is often indicative of periodontitis. After the examination, researchers evaluated the tumor DNA for the presence of HPV-16. According to the results, patients with HPV-positive tumors experienced more bone loss than patients with HPV-negative tumors.

The results concluded there is a potential link between HPV and periodontitis. Patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma exhibited a stronger connection than patients with oral cavity or laryngeal cancers.

It has not been determined whether the link between periodontitis and oral HPV infection is caused by direct effects of bacteria or through stimulation of inflammation.

“Both mechanisms can be involved, but substantial evidence renders that the periodontal bacteria can move from affected tissues to distant sites through saliva and the bloodstream and cause tissue injury through inflammatory reactions,” according to the study as revealed by Kanata invisalign providers.

An interesting discovery from the study was that HPV-positive tumors seemed to exhibit no effect on other dental issues, such as missing teeth, cavities and fillings.

Prevention or treatment of sources of inflammation in the oral cavity can be an easy and effective method of reducing the persistence of oral HPV infection, according to the study.

Stittsville cosmetic dentist group, Drs. Bartos and Northcott urge patients to pay attention to oral health. Regular dentist visits and a devoted oral health routine helps maintain healthy teeth and gums. Trillium Dental offices offer patients professional dental services such as counsel on the cost of dental implants and education on the dental implants process.

Learn More
To learn more about Stittsville family dentistry experts, visit Trilliumdental.ca or contact their corporate office at 613-595-1360.

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The experienced staff at Trillium Dental offers comprehensive dental care in each of its six offices across greater Ottawa. Doctors treat patients through cutting-edge technology in a modern, comfortable setting.

© 2012 Master Google, Drs. David Bartos and Mark Northcott. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Dr. Bartos, Dr. Northcott and Master Google are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.