Patients Are Not Equally Susceptible to Periodontitis: Does This Change Dental Practice and the Dental Curriculum?

Abstract

In the 1960s and 1970s, data became available indicating that most of the adult population had periodontal disease and that effective bacterial removal prevented and treated periodontitis. This information led to a systematic approach to the management of periodontal disease and influenced teaching of periodontics in dental schools. We now know that most adults have only gingivitis and very mild localized periodontitis. A small percentage, albeit representing substantial numbers, of adults have generalized severe periodontitis. We also recognize that a few currently known and measurable risk factors, including diabetes, smoking, and genetics, can identify the patients who are at risk for the severe generalized cases that require extensive therapy and intensive prevention, as well as patients at risk for a less-predictable response to treatment. This review will discuss the evidence that supports the change in our knowledge and understanding of periodontal disease. The question now becomes at what point, and how, do we integrate this new knowledge into the dental curriculum?