Effects of Human Ageing on Periodontal Tissues

Aging and death are two natural consequences to which the human individuals are subject after their birth. Improvement in both social living conditions and health care has led to a greater life span in the world 1, resulting in an increase in periodontal disease expectancy among the dentate elderly 2. Although moderate loss of both alveolar bone and periodontal attachment is common in the elderly, severe periodontitis, defined as periodontal attachment loss of 6 mm or more and radiographic bone loss of 50% or more involving at least one tooth, is not a natural consequence of ageing. Some loss of periodontal attachment and alveolar bone may be expected in older persons, but age alone in healthy adults does not lead to a critical loss of periodontal support 3. Human ageing induces histophysiological and clinical alterations in oral tissues 4. These alterations must be understood to differentiate pathological conditions from the altered physiology of oral tissues resulting from ageing 5. Some studies in humans and animals have demonstrated that alterations in periodontium dynamics occur with age 6,7. In spite of the fact that the periodontal disease severity is known to be associated with age, functional changes in periodontal tissue cells during the ageing process have not been well characterized 8. It is important to define how cellular ageing affects the progression of periodontal diseases associated with ageing 6. The understanding of the influence of human aging in the dynamic of the inflammatory process in patients with periodontal disease may help in the treatment planning of these patients.