A pilot study examining periodontally healthy middle-aged humans and monkeys display different levels of alveolar bone resorption, gingival inflammatory infiltrate, and salivary microbiota profile.

BACKGROUND

Monkeys are an appropriate model for periodontal research owing to their similar dental anatomy and physiology unlike humans. Extensive literature exists on pathological periodontitis in monkeys and humans, although concerns regarding whether healthy middle-aged monkeys and humans display the same periodontal and oral microbial status remains unclear.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The current study aimed to compare alveolar bone resorption, gingival inflammatory infiltrate, and salivary microbiota profile in periodontally healthy middle-aged humans and monkeys.

METHODS

CBCT examination and histological analysis were performed to compare the periodontal status in middle-aged healthy humans and monkeys. Oral saliva16S rRNA sequencing was performed to analyze the oral microbial profile.

RESULTS

The alveolar resorption was compared between humans and monkeys, to determine the periodontal health. The percentage attachment of attachment loss was more around the posteriors teeth in humans when compared to monkeys (p<0.05). The degree of gingival inflammation was analyzed in both the groups, the expression of CD 34,45was higher in humans. 16S rRNA analysis demonstrated less diversity of salivary microorganisms in humans than in monkeys. The relative abundance of Aggregatibacter, Haemophilus, Gemella, and Porphyromonas at the genus level was significantly less in humans than in monkeys (p(<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The periodontally healthy middle-aged humans and monkeys display different alveolar bone resorption and gingival inflammatory infiltrate levels. Furthermore, the salivary microbiota profile showed distinctly different oral microbiomes in these two primates. Our results suggest that the difference in alveolar bone status and gingival inflammatory infiltrate in healthy humans and monkeys might be associated with the diversity of the oral microbiome.