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Aim: To examine whether functional gene polymorphisms of toll‐like receptor (TLR)1, TLR2, and TLR6 are related to the salivary concentrations of human beta‐defensins (hBDs)‐1, ‐2, ‐3, and human neutrophilic peptide (HNP)‐1. Materials and Methods: Polymorphisms of TLR1 (rs5743618), TLR2 (rs5743708), and TLR6 (rs5743810) were genotyped by PCR‐based pyrosequencing from the salivary samples of 230 adults. Salivary hBD‐1, ‐2, ‐3, and HNP‐1 concentrations were measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. General and periodontal health examinations, including panoramic radiography, were available for all participants. Results: The genotype frequencies for wild types and variant types were as follows: 66.5% and 33.5% for TLR1, 95.5% and 4.5% for TLR2, and 25.1% and 74.9% for TLR6, respectively. The TLR2 heterozygote variant group exhibited higher salivary hBD‐2 concentrations than the TLR2 wild‐type group (p =.038). On the contrary, elevated hBD‐2 concentrations were detected in the TLR6 wild‐type group compared with the TLR6 heterozygote and homozygote variant group (p =.028). The associations between TLR6 genotypes and salivary hBD‐2 concentrations remained significant after adjusting them for periodontal status, age, and smoking. Conclusion: hBD‐2 concentrations in saliva are related to TLR2 and TLR6 polymorphisms, but only the TLR6 genotype seems to exhibit an independent association with the salivary hBD‐2 concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pohjola V, Mattila AK, Joukamaa M, Lahti S. Anxiety and depressive disorders and dental fear among adults in Finland. Eur J Oral Sci 2011; 119: 55-60. © 2011 Eur J Oral Sci We studied the association between dental fear and anxiety or depressive disorders, as well as the comorbidity of dental fear with anxiety and depressive disorders, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, dental attendance, and dental health. Nationally representative data on Finnish adults, ≥ 30 yr of age ( n = 5,953), were gathered through interviews and clinical examination. Dental fear was measured using the question: 'How afraid are you of visiting a dentist?' Anxiety and/or depressive disorders were assessed using a standardized structured psychiatric interview according to criteria presented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition) (DSM-IV).Those with depressive disorders, generalized anxiety disorder or social phobia more commonly reported high dental fear than did those without these disorders. When age, gender, education, dental attendance, and the number of decayed, missing, and restored teeth were considered, those with generalized anxiety disorder were more likely to have high dental fear than were participants with neither anxiety nor depressive disorders. The comorbidity of depressive and anxiety disorders also remained statistically significantly associated with dental fear; those with both depressive and anxiety disorders were more likely to have high dental fear than were those without these disorders. Our findings support the suggestion that some individuals may have a personality that is vulnerable to dental fear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body weight and periodontal infection in a longitudinal setting. Material and methods: This study was based on a subpopulation of the Health 2000 Survey that included dentate, non-diabetic subjects aged 30-59 years, who had never smoked and who had participated in the Follow-Up Study on Finnish Adults' Oral Health approximately 4 years later (n=396). The number of new teeth with deepened (4 mm deep or deeper) periodontal pockets in the follow-up examination was used as the outcome variable. Body weight was measured using body mass index, categorized into three categories: <25.0 (normal weight), 25.0-29.9 (overweight) and 30.0 or more (obesity). Incidence rate ratios were estimated using Poisson's regression models. Results: Body weight was weakly, but not statistically significantly, associated with the number of new teeth with deepened periodontal pockets among subjects who were periodontally healthy in the baseline examinations, whereas only a minuscule association was found among subjects who had periodontal infection at baseline. Conclusions: The results of this follow-up study do not provide evidence that overweight and obesity can be considered significant risk factors in the pathogenesis of periodontal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the relationship between sense of coherence (SOC) and oral health, and the role of oral health-related behaviours in this relationship. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 5401 dentate adults who participated in the nationally representative Health 2000 Survey in Finland. The survey gathered information on SOC, demographic characteristics, education, income, preexisting diabetes, daily smoking, dental attendance, toothbrushing frequency and sugar intake frequency. Oral health was assessed through clinical outcomes, such as number of teeth, number of decayed teeth and extent of periodontal pockets and perceived oral health. Results: A strong SOC was related to having more teeth, fewer decayed teeth, lower extent of periodontal pockets and good perceived oral health after adjustment for confounders, such as demographic and socioeconomic factors (all p⩽0.003). These associations were attenuated but remained significant after further adjustment for potential mediators (oral health-related behaviours), except for the association of SOC with the extent of periodontal pockets, which was fully accounted for by pre-existing diabetes, oral health-related behaviours and dental plaque (p = 0.549). Conclusion: SOC is positively associated with various aspects of adult oral health, in part because of the better oral health-related behaviours among people with a strong SOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]