Roles of Viruses in Periodontology

The shift in the microbiota depends on host defense mechanism. The inflammation is resolved when the bacterial deposits are removed with or without antiseptic agents. The adjunctive use of antibiotic therapy along with mechanical debridement strengthens the argument that bacteria are the main etiological factor for periodontal diseases. But although all subjects with poor oral hygiene develop gingivitis, not all gingivitis progress to periodontitis. This led to the hypothesis that factors other than dental plaque like viruses, inflammatory response play an important role in periodontal disease.Viral mediated release of cytokines and chemokines from the host may further aggravate the virulence of periodontopathogenic bacteria.Viruses may also interfere in immune responses through immune modulators encoded within viral genomes, which include proteins that regulate antigen presentation, function as cytokines or cytokine antagonists, inhibit apoptosis and interrupt the complement cascade. We are in the early stages of understanding the tremendous diversity within the human microorganisms and its significant role in human health.