About this Research Topic
Tooth Loss: More than 93 million US adults are obese. Obesity accelerates the aging process and is among the most significant risk factors for tooth loss. Tooth loss is not only a problem of the elderly, but there are also increasing numbers of individuals who are obese, and have diabetes or other inflammatory diseases that put them at higher risk for tooth loss. In the USA, 47.2% of obese adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease/tooth loss and 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have periodontal disease/tooth loss according to the CDC. This condition is more common in men than women (56.4% vs 38.4%) and in African Americans than Caucasians. Tooth loss is a major contributor to overall musculoskeletal frailty. Malnutrition resulting from tooth loss worsens the overall health of the patients and thus there is a strong medical rationale to prevent tooth loss.
TMJ Osteoarthritis: Degenerative disorders of the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) are painful and debilitating diseases, affecting over 20 million people in the United States. The prevalence of obesity and the growth of the older population has risen dramatically over the past two decades and it has been observed that obesity accelerates aging. Together, these two conditions are posing a significant challenge to public health and are identifiable risk factors for TMJ degeneration. Despite its increasing prevalence and significant cost to society, there are currently no effective treatments that prevent disease progression or repair the diseased TMJ, making joint replacement the only option for many patients. Accordingly, there is an unmet need for a clinically effective approach to treat TMJ degeneration.
Cellular senescence is potentially a common molecular mechanism that promotes obesity, age-related, and trauma-associated tooth loss, and TMJ joint degeneration.
We welcome submissions that cover the following (but are not limited to) topics:
•Geroscience approach to improve oral health
•Temporomandibular Joint aging and potential therapies
•Exploring the potential pathways between aging and periodontal disease
•Quality of life in older adults with oral health problems
Keywords: Tooth loss, periodontitis, alveolar bone loss, osteoarthritis, temporomandibular joint
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