Periodontal status, salivary immunoglobulin, and microbial counts after short exposure to an isolated environment

Abstract

Salivary flow rate, immunoglobulin, and periodontal status were affected during a simulated Skylab mission. The effect is more prominent after long-duration space flights and can persist for several weeks after landing. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a simulated Mars environment on periodontal status and levels of salivary microorganisms and immunoglobulins in the human oral cavity. Twelve healthy male volunteers were studied before, at 1 and 2 weeks, and after completion of a mission in an isolated, confined simulated Mars environment at the Mars Desert Research Station, USA. We conducted a current stress test, measured salivary immunoglobulin, cortisol, α-amylase, salivary flow rate, and levels of plaque and salivary microbes, and assessed clinical periodontal parameters (probing depth, bleeding on probing, and clinical loss of attachment). Salivary IgG levels and Streptococcus mutans activity were significantly higher at 1 week. Values for clinical periodontal parameters (probing depth, bleeding on probing, and clinical loss of attachment) significantly differed at 1 week. Stress might be caused by the difficulty of the mission rather than the isolated environment, as mission duration was quite short. Periodontal condition might worsen due to poor oral hygiene during the mission. The present findings show that all periodontal conditions and levels of oral bacteria and stress after completion of the simulated Mars mission differed from those at baseline. To verify the relationship between stress status and periodontal health in simulated Mars missions, future studies using larger patient samples and longer follow-up will be required. (J Oral Sci 55, 139-143, 2013)

Salivary and serum cortisol in patients with periodontal disease and oral lichen planus.

“…Anxious patients with chronic periodontitis present higher levels of cortisol and anxiety. Anxiety may be regarded as an important factor in the progression of periodontal diseases (8,9,(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30). In our study we detected cortisol from unstimulated whole saliva and serum and detected increased levels with patients with chronic periontitis versus healthy subjects.…”

“…Low levels of cortisol were detected in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease) and ACTH deficiency (20,21). Higher levels of cortisol were found in patients with systemic (Cushing's disease, malignancy) and oral diseases (22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34).…”

Does microgravity effect on oral and maxillofacial region?

“…In different studies, 17 days of spaceflight was associated with reduced osteoblast recruitment in specific weight-bearing rat bone, which occurred independently of endogenous glucocorticoid status (Paloski et al ., 1993; Baldwin et al ., 1996; Buckey et al ., 1996; White and Averner, 2001; Rai and Kaur, 2013 a ). Researchers have predicted that the decrease in blood and plasma volume and flow into the lower extremities of humans during spaceflight would result in a shift in the balance between deposition and resorption of bone such as that bone mass would be reduced (Moore and MacDougall, 2010; Rai et al ., 2011 b ; Rai and Kaur, 2013 b ; Goyal et al ., 2015; Philippou et al ., 2015). Mechanical stress generated by weight-bearing appears to regulate skeletal remodelling.…”

“…Bassett and Becker suggested that the cell-mediated coupling of bone formation and resorption may be regulated by an electrical signal generated by bearing weight (Hudson, 1969; Hinsenkamp et al ., 1981; Simmons et al ., 1983; Rai et al ., 2011 b ). A cellular uncoupling due to a localized alteration in the surrounding bone appears to be a likely aetiology of site-specific osteopenia and could lead to increased serum calcium and a secondary decrease in PTH secretion and 1,25-(OH)2D production (Hudson, 1969; Hinsenkamp et al ., 1981; Simmons et al ., 1983; Colleran et al ., 2000; Mongini et al ., 2000; Korszun et al ., 2002; Nishikawa et al ., 2005; Moore and MacDougall, 2010; Rai et al ., 2011 a ; Rai et al ., 2011 b ; Rai and Kaur, 2013 b ; Ulbrich et al ., 2014; Goyal et al ., 2015; Philippou et al ., 2015).…”

“…In such situations, skeletal muscle support is also not needed to maintain body posture, which weakens these muscles (Nagaraj et al ., 2018). The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the most perplexing joint in the human body and enables the hinging motion of the mandible in one plane and simultaneously enables sliding movement; consequently, the TMJ is referred to as the ginglymoarthroidal joint (Rai and Kaur, 2013 b ). The TMJ comprises the temporal bone, the mandibular condyle and an articular plate and is classified as a compound joint.…”