Scannapieco Frank A
Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
Compend Contin Educ Dent. 2004 Jul;25(7 Suppl 1):16-25.
There has been a resurgence of interest in recent years in the systemic effects of oral infections such as periodontal diseases. The study of the various means by which periodontal infections and inflammation may influence a variety of systemic conditions is collectively referred to as periodontal medicine. The periodontium responds to tooth-borne biofilm (dental plaque) by the process of inflammation. Dental biofilms release a variety of biologically active products, such as bacterial lipopolysaccharides (endotoxins), chemotactic peptides, protein toxins, and organic acids. These molecules stimulate the host to produce a variety of responses, among them the production and release of potent agents known as cytokines. These include interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-8, prostaglandins, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. There is a spectrum of periodontal response to these molecules, from mild gingivitis to severe destructive periodontitis. These and other host products and responses may influence a variety of important disease pathways, including atherosclerosis, mucosal inflammation, and premature parturition. The purpose of this article is to review the possible biological pathways by which periodontal diseases may influence these disease processes.
近年来，人们对诸如牙周疾病等口腔感染的全身影响再度产生了兴趣。对牙周感染和炎症可能影响各种全身状况的多种方式的研究统称为牙周医学。牙周组织通过炎症过程对牙源性生物膜（牙菌斑）作出反应。牙生物膜释放多种生物活性产物，如细菌脂多糖（内毒素）、趋化肽、蛋白质毒素和有机酸。这些分子刺激宿主产生多种反应，其中包括产生和释放称为细胞因子的强效介质。这些细胞因子包括白细胞介素 -1β、白细胞介素 -8、前列腺素和肿瘤坏死因子 -α。对这些分子存在一系列牙周反应，从轻度牙龈炎到严重的破坏性牙周炎。这些以及其他宿主产物和反应可能影响多种重要的疾病途径，包括动脉粥样硬化、黏膜炎症和早产。本文的目的是综述牙周疾病可能影响这些疾病进程的潜在生物学途径。
