Grant: Operating Grant

Teeth perforate the protective "skin" in the mouth, which harbors a large number of pathogenic bacteria. The firm attachment of gums to teeth is absolutely necessary to seal the oral cavity from the rest of the body to prevent gum recession, periodontal disease and more serious conditions such as heart disease. Up to now, the molecules responsible for this attachment have not been described in detail. We have recently found a number of proteins that are specifically produced during the development of dental enamel. The specific tissue that is later responsible for gum-to-tooth attachment, the so-called "junctional epithelium", is directly derived from cells that form enamel, and we have found several proteins that are present at the right time and place to be involved in gum attachment. In this proposal we will investigate how these proteins interact, how they bind to cells of the gums and to the tooth surface, and how strong this attachment is. At the end of the project we expect to understand the critical components of the apparatus that makes gums stick to teeth. With this knowledge it may be possible to develop new preventive therapies and treatments to prevent gum recession and periodontal disease.