The first case of severe periodontitis in a person who has Marfan’s syndrome has been identified, according to an article in the July issue of the Journal of Periodontology.
Marfan’s syndrome is a rare hereditary disorder that causes connective tissues to be weaker than normal, affects many organ systems and occurs in both men and women of any race or ethnic group.
Researchers conducted an oral examination on a 41-year-old patient who had Marfan’s disease. The patient had swollen and receding gingivae, severe periodontal ligament attachment loss on all teeth and bleeding gingivae at 76 percent of the areas examined. The patient had no family history of periodontitis.
"It is important to note that this case report does not show a causal relationship between Marfan’s syndrome and periodontal diseases," said Dr. Kenneth Bueltmann, president of the American Academy of Periodontology. "More research needs to be conducted to determine if there is an association between the diseases."
However, Dr. Maurizio Tonetti, professor and chair of the department of periodontology at University College London, recommends that patients who have Marfan’s syndrome follow a preventive oral care program based on professional tooth cleaning and daily brushing and flossing, as well as receive regular periodontal screenings by a periodontist.
"Reports of oral findings in Marfan’s syndrome patients have focused mainly on skeletal abnormalities," said Dr. Tonetti. "This case is notable since the detected periodontal breakdown was severe and could be only partly explained by known risk factors, such as cigarette smoking and inadequate oral hygiene. It also supports our hypothesis that a variety of connective tissue disorders may increase susceptibility to periodontal tissue breakdown."
