Dental & Oral Health

Immune response considerations: Understanding differences and maintaining awareness Periodontal disease may commonly be seen in patients with diabetes and those who are infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Prognosis and potential treatment modifications are important to consider. While both patient groups may exhibit periodontal disease, contributing factors and susceptibility are very different. Both patient cohorts are similar in that they suffer from a distressed immune system which plays a part in their periodontal disease risk; however, the mechanism for this immunocompromised response is unique and different in each. Diabetes is thought to cause, multiple systemic disturbances including the dysregulation of the innate immune system and associated increase in the inflammatory response, increased tissue destruction and delayed wound healing. HIV+ patients suffer from a much more specific immune disturbance of the adaptive immune system which can diminish their capacity for response to infection. Given the large number of patients with diabetes and HIV in this country, understanding these differences is critical to guiding periodontal care that is appropriate and has the best prognosis possible.