Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-26-2025
Abstract
Purpose
This narrative review explores the multifaceted links between periodontal diseases (gingivitis and periodontitis) and systemic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, and respiratory infections. It aims to synthesize evidence on how local oral infections exert systemic effects and evaluate the potential of diagnostic technologies to monitor these interactions.
Methods
This narrative review synthesizes current scientific literature on periodontal disease pathogenesis, focusing on key pathogens (e.g., Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum) and their roles in driving local and systemic inflammation via virulence factors and microbial dysbiosis. It examines biomarker-based diagnostic approaches (e.g., IL-1β, TNF-α, microbial DNA) in saliva, blood, and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and evaluates current and emerging diagnostic tools (e.g., ELISA, PCR, lateral flow assays, biosensors, microfluidics).
Results
The review highlights that periodontal pathogens contribute to systemic disease through complex mechanisms including persistent inflammation (driven by cytokines like IL-1β, TNF-α), endotoxemia (via LPS, noting pathogen-specific structural variations impacting immune response), molecular mimicry, and immune modulation. Current diagnostic methods provide valuable information but often face limitations in speed, portability, and multiplexing capability needed for comprehensive point-of-care assessment. Emerging technologies, particularly multiplex platforms integrating biosensors or microfluidics, demonstrate significant potential for rapid, user-friendly analysis of multiple biomarkers, facilitating earlier detection and personalized risk stratification, especially in high-risk populations.
Conclusion
Periodontal diseases significantly impact systemic health via intricate microbial and inflammatory pathways. The complexity of these interactions necessitates moving beyond conventional diagnostics towards integrated, advanced technologies. Implementing rapid, multiplex biomarker detection platforms within a multidisciplinary healthcare framework holds the potential to revolutionize early detection of linked conditions, improve personalized management strategies, and ultimately reduce the systemic burden of periodontal disease.
Recommended Citation
Foroughi, M., Torabinejad, M., Angelov, N. et al. Bridging oral and systemic health: exploring pathogenesis, biomarkers, and diagnostic innovations in periodontal disease. Infection (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-025-02568-y
Copyright
The authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Included in
Diseases Commons, Other Dentistry Commons, Other Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons, Periodontics and Periodontology Commons
Comments
This article was originally published in Infection in 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-025-02568-y