Research to Prevent Periodontal Disorders

The School of Dental Medicine's Department of Microbiology is collecting research to treat and prevent periodontal diseases. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, 47.2% of Americans over the age of 30 have periodontal disease. This article highlights the school's research findings and how it may benefit dental health in the future.

University of Pennsylvania researchers have been searching for ways to prevent and reverse periodontitis. In a report published in the Journal of Immunology, they describe a promising new target: a component of the immune system called complement. Treating monkeys with a complement inhibitor successfully prevented the inflammation and bone loss that is associated with periodontitis, making this a promising drug for treating humans with the disease. 

— University of Penn