title: Association between volatile sulfur compounds and periodontal disease progression in elderly non-smokers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Periodontal pathogenic microorganisms produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), such as hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulfide. VSCs are toxic to periodontal tissue. Therefore, there is a relationship between periodontitis and the VSC level of mouth air. However, the association between VSC and periodontal disease progression has not been investigated in a longitudinal study. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between VSCs in mouth air and periodontal disease progression among elderly dentulous non-smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred forty-one dentulous non-smokers (103 males and 138 females; all 70 years old) had their VSC levels examined with a portable sulfide monitor, and their periodontal status was assessed. Periodontal examinations were performed at baseline and once a year for 3 years to investigate the clinical attachment levels of all teeth. Participants were classified by membership in tertile groups (lowest, middle, and highest) according to the value of baseline VSC measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In negative binomial regression analysis, the number of teeth with periodontal disease progression for participants in the highest tertile of VSC measurement was greater (incidence rate ratio of 1.33, P = 0.011) than for the reference group (lowest tertile of VSC measurement) after simultaneously adjusting for sex, number of remaining teeth, and maximum clinical attachment level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VSC measurements were significantly associated with periodontal disease progression in a non-smoking dentulous elderly population. This suggests that VSC measurements are useful for the diagnosis of periodontal disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Health Science, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaga
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.forename: Kaname
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nohno
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001944:Breath Tests; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013457:Sulfur Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D014059:Tongue / Q000737:chemistry; D016388:Tooth Loss
chemical_list: D013457:Sulfur Compounds