Critical Analysis Of Biomarkers In Periodontal Practice : A Brief Review

Background: Early diagnosis and treatment of progressive periodontitis is important because of the irreversible nature of periodontal disease. . In the field of periodontology, traditional clinical criteria are often insufficient for determining sites of active disease, for monitoring the response to therapy, or for measuring the degree of susceptibility to future disease progression. Patients with periodontitis may have elevated circulating levels of specific inflammatory markers that can be correlated to the severity and present state of the disease. This review highlights the various potentials of oral biomarkers as non-invasive method of periodontal disease diagnosis. Methods: The Google scholar and Medline search was conducted and the relevant literature concerning the applications of oral biomarkers for periodontal diagnosis was reviewed. Results: Based on the literature, salivary markers that have been studied as potential diagnostic tests for periodontal disease include proteins of host origin (i.e., enzymes, immunoglobulins), phenotypic markers, host cells, hormones (cortisol), bacteria and bacterial products, ions and volatile compounds. Conclusions : A number of markers show promise as sensitive measures of disease and the effectiveness of therapy. Longer-term longitudinal studies, however, are required to establish the relationship between specific markers and progression of periodontal disease. Furthermore, analysis of oral biomarkers may offer a cost-effective approach to assessment of periodontal disease in large populations.