Tooth brush as a potential diagnostic tool for gene profiling

Abstract

newlineIts common knowledge that surveying the Oral cavity could be one of the newlinebest non-invasive methods to diagnose systemic pathology. Impact of oral health newlineon the overall health has been documented since 1989, and the oral cavity has newlinebeen described as a harbinger to the general health of the patient. Oral cavity is newlinea specialized ecosystem comprising a diverse group of microorganisms newlinecomprising bacteria, fungi, and viruses that play a key role in the maintenance of newlineoral and systemic health. However, when the oral microbiota balance is altered newline(termed as microbial dysbiosis ), active pathogens evade the host immune newlineresponse resulting in variety of systemic diseases. A focus of infection refers to newlinethe localized area of tissue infected with microorganisms. These foci of infection newlinemay disseminate through bloodstream to organs thereby resulting in bacteremia, newlinemetastatic tissue injury, and inflammation. Various systemic diseases affecting newlinecardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, renal and other systems, and newlinediabetes mellitus have been linked to oral microorganisms as a potential factor. In newlineconsideration to above, it is of utmost importance for oral health care newlineprofessionals to educate patients and the general public regarding the newlineimportance of good oral hygiene and its influence on the general health. newlineDiabetes mellitus has become a major global illness affecting more than newline171 million people worldwide. Of interest to oral physicians, it is characterized by newlinesevere periodontal disease, increased susceptibility to infection, and poor wound newlinehealing. Severe periodontal disease can worsen glycemic control in type II newlinediabetes mellitus, and risk of developing complications of retinopathy and newlineneuropathy gets higher.