Role of local factors in periodontal disease

Question 1

What are periodontal diseases

Answer 1

• A group that can affect single or multiple sites in the oral cavity
• May lead to damage and loss of tooth supporting structures

Question 2

What’s a primary aetiological factor or periodontal disease

Answer 2

Microbial plaque biofilm

Question 3

Define risk factors

Answer 3

A factor that increases probability of disease developing and progressing, but not necessary causal

Question 4

What do plaque retentive factors do

Answer 4

• May influence the accumulation of plaque
• Allow certain bacterial species to flourish and thus initiating the disease process
• Prevent effective plaque removal

Question 5

Name some tooth anatomical factors

Answer 5

• Tooth malalignment (Deep overbites)
• Root grooves (Located palatally)
• Cemental tears (Separation along CEJ)

Question 6

Name some patient habits

Answer 6

• Mouth breathing (Decreased salivary cleansing)
• Tobacco smoking (Bone and attachment loss)
• Alcohol consumption

Question 7

Name some microbiological factors

Answer 7

Bacterial plaque implicated in periodontal diseases:
- A. Actinomycemcomitans
- P. gingivalis
- B. forsythus

Question 8

What cellular effects does smoking have

Answer 8

• Inhibiting neutrophil function
• Less vascular response to inflammation
• Increases prevalence of periodontal pathogens

Question 9

What are 2 calcification mechanisms

Answer 9

• Epistatic concept: biofilm acts as seeding agents inducing foci of calcification that enlarge to form a calcified mass
• Booster concept: A rise in pH of saliva causes precipitation of calcium phosphate salts by lowering the precipitation constant. The supersaturation of
  plaque fluid leads to partially soluble calcium phosphate minerals within calculus.

Question 10

How can you diagnose supragingival calculus

Answer 10

• Location
• Colour
• Feels rough
• Air-drying gives it a chalky appearance

Question 11

How can you diagnose sub gingival calculus

Answer 11

• Radiographically between adjacent teeth
• Using a WHO 621 probe

Question 12

What elements can be found in supragingival calculus

Answer 12

• Carbon
• Manganese

Question 13

What elements can be found in subgingival calculus

Answer 13

• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Fluorine
• Strontium
• Zinc