Mouths are filthy, harboring the second largest microbiome of the human body.
Some bacteria can help break down food, among other responsibilities; other bacteria can travel into the mouth on food, fingers, pen caps and more to contribute to gum disease and other oral infections.
In a study from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, scientists found that positive and negative bacterium are responsible for periodontitis symptoms—Gram-positive and Gram-negative, that is.
Gram-positive bacteria have thicker cell walls that retain the purple color from Gram stain, which can quickly differentiate cell types based on the width of their cell walls.
The researchers found that Gram-positive bacteria can also induce the resorption of the bone that holds teeth in place, called the alveolar bone.
This finding is a new concept: both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria are involved in the progression of periodontal bone loss.
In a healthy condition, the tooth root is embedded into a socket in the alveolar bone in periodontal tissue.
Infection of mixed multiple Gram-negative bacteria resulted in alveolar bone resorption and tooth loss induced by severe inflammation in periodontal tissues.
It is well-known that the major pathogens of periodontitis are dominantly gram-negative bacteria.
On the other hand, Gram-positive bacteria have been known to contribute to the inflammation of the periodontal gums in the initial phases of periodontitis.
It was unclear whether gram-positive bacteria are associated with or contribute to the progression of periodontal bone loss.
The team also saw that Gram-positive bacteria proliferated at a higher rate than Gram-negative bacteria and they preferred to occupy the depths of the teeth pockets—suggesting a more potent dose of LTA closer to the site of bone loss.
The researchers’ goal is to clarify the crosstalk of Gram-positive and -negative bacteria for the pathogenesis and progression of periodontal bone loss.
The understanding of the mechanisms will contribute to developing novel drugs for the treatment of periodontal bone loss.
If you care about gum health, please read studies about new causes of tooth decay and gum diseases, and common heartburn drugs may benefit your tooth and gum health.
For more information about gum health, please see recent studies about mouthwash that may increase your tooth damage, and results showing this common gum disease may double your risk of high blood pressure.
The study was conducted by Masaki Inada et al and published in Scientific Reports.
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