Differences in the inflammatory response in young and old human subjects during the course of experimental gingivitis

Abstract

The aim of the present experiment was to study changes in (i) the composition of the inflammatory cell infiltrates and (ii) levels of alpha 2-macroglobulin, lactoferrin and IgG subclasses in gingival crevicular fluid in young and old individuals during 3 weeks of plaque formation. To establish healthy gingival conditions, all subjects received professional tooth cleaning during a 4 week pre-experimental period. The experimental sites included the mesio-palatal, palatal, and disto-palatal surfaces of all teeth present in the 15...25 tooth region. At baseline (day 0) assessments of plaque and gingivitis, microbial sampling and gingival fluid assessment were performed and one gingival biopsy harvested from each subject. Following the baseline examination, the participants abolished mechanical tooth cleaning measures in the palatal and approximal surfaces of 15...25. The clinical examination and the gingival fluid measurement were repeated on days 7, 14 and 21 of no oral hygiene. The microbiological sampling and the biopsy procedure were repeated on days 7 and 21. The gingival crevicular fluid samples harvested from the old individuals had higher levels of alpha 2-macroglobulin and IgG3 compared to young subjects. The immunohistochemical analyses of the biopsies demonstrated that the gingival lesion representing the old individuals harbored a higher proportion of B-cells and a lower density of PMN cells compared to the infiltrate in the young group of subjects. It is suggested that differences exist in the inflammatory response to de novo plaque formation in young and old individuals.

Comparison of red autofluorescing plaque and disclosed plaque—a cross-sectional study

“…This seems contradictory to what is generally accepted; dental plaque leads to gingival inflammation when it is present on the tooth surface for a longer period [26]. One determining factor in the development of gingival inflammation is patient susceptibility towards the presence of dental plaque [27, 28]. Furthermore, the assumption that only old plaque causes gingival bleeding does not take the microbiological characteristics of the plaque biofilm into account.…”

Quantity and distribution of plaque in orthodontic patients treated with molar bands

“…Die Anhaftung von Plaque auf den palatinalen Zahnoberflächen untersuchten Fransson et al [12,13] bei gesunden Probanden ohne kieferorthopädische Behandlung. Trotz einer quantitativ ähnlichen Plaqueakkumulation entwickelten die älteren Probanden (65-80 Jahre) mehr Gingivitis als die jüngeren (20-25 Jahre), was auf eine schwächere Abwehrreaktion der älteren Probanden schließen lässt.…”

“…Specific plaque accumulation in the palatal regions was examined by Fransson et al [12,13] in individuals not undergoing orthodontic treatment. They found that older individuals (65-80 years) formed similar amounts of plaque to younger individuals (20-25 years), but tended to develop more gingivitis than the younger subjects, suggesting that this area may be more vulnerable in the elderly.…”

Age-related changes of fibroblast density in the human periodontal ligament

“…A study comparing experimental gingivitis in young vs. old individuals by Fransson et al [2,3] did confirm that older individuals experience more severe inflammation in response to experimental gingivitis. Nevertheless, several studies evaluating whether age is a risk factor for increased loss of periodontal support, have shown that aging either has no effect at all or, if so, the effect is minor and clinically insignificant [4-8] and that smoking has much more influence than age [9].…”