DNA Tests help Fight Gum Disease
Gum disease is a very damaging disease that is a lot more common than many of us think, affecting around 19 out of 20 of us at some point in our lives.
The simplest way to prevent gum disease is of course, by keeping a healthy mouth and regularly cleaning and brushing your teeth, tongue and gums. As many of us know however, this is easier said than done (the surprising fact above can vouch for that!) and to that end research is currently ongoing in order to detect and predict gum disease through DNA study.
The research is currently still in its early stages and will be conducted at the University of Michigan’s School of Dentistry, USA and is estimated to last one year, using around 4,000 volunteers .
This kind of research has often proved unpopular in Britain because of fears that a negative DNA test outcome could result in discrimination from insurance companies, a problem less common in the States since the implementation of The Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008, banning discrimination due to genetic information. But whether popular or not, it cannot be denied that such research will prove very important, both health-wise and financially, a point that Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter has stressed when he pointed out the economic help this could potentially bring, as well as help to oral health.
Every year the NHS pays a significant amount of money to help prevent and combat gum disease, an amount of money that would be welcomed elsewhere should this research prove successful.
Despite this potentially very significant fight against gun disease on the horizon, many dental experts are still pressing that maintaining a good, healthy oral and general lifestyle is still of the upmost importance and should be the first line of defence against gum disease and all forms of oral health issues.
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