Genetic variation may explain why females are less susceptible to dental erosion.
Not all individuals at risk for dental erosion (DE) display erosive lesions. The prevalence of DE is higher among male subjects. The occurrence of DE may depend on more than just acidic challenge, with genetics possibly playing a role. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of enamel-formation genes with DE. One premolar and a saliva sample were collected from 90 individuals. Prepared teeth were immersed in 0.01 M HCl (pH 2.2), and enamel loss (μm) was measured using white light interferometry. DNA was extracted from saliva, and 15 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were analysed. Allele and genotype frequencies were related to the enamel loss of the specimens. Single-marker and haplotype analyses were performed using sex as a covariate. Mean enamel loss was higher for male donors than for female donors (P = 0.047). Significant associations were found between enamel loss and amelogenin, X-linked (AMELX), tuftelin 1 (TUFT1), and tuftelin-interacting protein 11 (TFIP11). Analyses showed significant associations between variation in enamel-formation genes and a lower susceptibility to DE in female subjects. The results indicate that susceptibility to DE is influenced by genetic variation, and may, in part, explain why some individuals are more susceptible than others to DE, including differences between female subjects and male subjects.
Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Cariology and Gerodontology, Institute of Clinical Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. m.m.n.uhlen@odont.uio.no.
Marte-Mari
MM
Uhlen
Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Cariology and Gerodontology, Institute of Clinical Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Kjersti R
KR
Stenhagen
Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Piper M
PM
Dizak
SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, Oslo, Norway.
Børge
B
Holme
Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Cariology and Gerodontology, Institute of Clinical Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Aida
A
Mulic
Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Cariology and Gerodontology, Institute of Clinical Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Anne B
AB
Tveit
Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Alexandre R
AR
Vieira
D053523:Amelogenin; D003743:Dental Enamel; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000235:genetics*
D053523:Amelogenin
demineralization; dental enamel; disease susceptibility; oral health; tooth erosion