Genetics and Oral Health

Genetics and Oral Health

Key Points

  • Many common diseases are not inherited as a single gene defect but instead result from gene-environment interactions.
  • A predictive test for dental caries or for periodontal disease does not currently exist; both of these are complex diseases with multiple gene and environmental risk factors.
  • No gene to date has been identified that has as large an impact on periodontal disease as do environmental influences, such as smoking or diabetes.
  • While genetic testing holds potential for clinical application in the future, clinical measurements remain the best approach to assessment of caries and periodontal disease at this time.