Obesity, Inflammation, and Periodontal Disease

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http://jdr.iadrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/86/5/400?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Periodontitis&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT

Obesity, Inflammation, and Periodontal Disease
Journal of Dental Research 86(5):400-409, 2007

N. Pischon*, N. Heng, J.-P. Bernimoulin, B.-M. Kleber, S.N. Willich1, and T. Pischon1,2
Dept. of Periodontology, Charit» University Medical Center, Campus Virchow, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
1 Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charit» University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany; and
2 Dept. of Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition, Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Germany

* corresponding author, nicole.pischon@charite.de

The prevalence of obesity has increased substantially over the past decades in most industrialized countries. Obesity is a systemic disease that predisposes to a variety of co-morbidities and complications that affect overall health. Cross-sectional studies suggest that obesity is also associated with oral diseases, particularly periodontal disease, and prospective studies suggest that periodontitis may be related to cardiovascular disease. The possible causal relationship between obesity and periodontitis and potential underlying biological mechanisms remain to be established; however, the adipose tissue actively secretes a variety of cytokines and hormones that are involved in inflammatory processes, pointing toward similar pathways involved in the pathophysiology of obesity, periodontitis, and related inflammatory diseases. We provide an overview of the definition and assessment of obesity and of related chronic diseases and complications that may be important in the periodontistÌs office. Studies that have examined the association between obesity and periodontitis are reviewed, and adipose-tissue-derived hormones and cytokines that are involved in inflammatory processes and their relationship to periodontitis are discussed. Our aim is to raise the periodontistÌs awareness when treating obese individuals.

KEY WORDS: obesity Ô adipose tissue Ô inflammation Ô periodontal disease

© 2007 International and American Associations for Dental Research