Sir, I write further to a recent publication in the BDJ entitled ‘Diabetes and perio screening' which highlights the importance of the bi-directional relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes, particularly in the background of primary care screening strategies.1
The aMMP-8 point of care diagnostic test, commercially available as PerioSafe and ImplantSafe for full-mouth and site-specific diagnosis respectively, is a multiply validated and standardised test, apart from being safe and non-invasive.
The modality has been demonstrated to be more effective at diagnosing subclinical/initial periodontitis in adolescents as compared to the conventional testing for bleeding on probing.2
This PoCT has also been observed to be able to perform the detection of initial periodontitis in genetically predisposed adolescents.3
The aMMP-8 PoCT has also been demonstrated to correlate positively with glycated HbA1c values which can aid in primary care referrals.4
The test has also been utilised as an economical screening tool for diabetes/pre-diabetes to yield quick results.5
Since the administration and interpretation of this test does not require any specialised training, the knowledge and utilisation of this point of care testing technology can aid primary care screening and referrals.
References
Pisani F, Taylor K. Diabetes and perio screening. Br Dent J 2024; 236: 11-12.
Räisänen I T, Sorsa T, van der Schoor G J et al. Active Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 Point-of-Care (PoC)/Chairside Mouthrinse Test vs. Bleeding on Probing in diagnosing subclinical periodontitis in adolescents. Diagnostics (Basel) 2019; doi: 10.3390/diagnostics9010034.
Heikkinen A M, Raivisto T, Kettunen K et al. Pilot study on the genetic background of an Active Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 Test in Finnish adolescents. J Periodontol 2017; 88: 464-472.
Heikkinen A M, Sokka T T, Torppa-Saarinen E et al. aMMP-8 Point-of-Care Test (POCT) identifies reliably periodontitis in patients with Type 2 Diabetes as well as monitors treatment response. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 10.3390/diagnostics13132224.
Grigoriadis A, Sorsa T, Räisänen I, Pärnänen P, Tervahartiala T, Sakellari D. Prediabetes/Diabetes can be screened at the dental office by a low-cost and fast chair-side/point-of-care aMMP-8 Immunotest. Diagnostics (Basel) 2019; doi: 10.3390/diagnostics9040151.
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Sahni, V. Point of care technology for screening and referrals. Br Dent J 236, 230 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-7138-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-7138-9
