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Why 5?
Research confirms 5 key bacterial species are primary drivers of periodontal disease:
Aa, Pg, Td, Tf, and Fn
Elevated concentrations of one or more of 5 key bacterial species – Aa, Pg, Td, Tf, and Fn – are the primary drivers of pathogenic imbalances that lead to periodontal disease. Reducing these 5 key bacteria can slow, halt, and even reverse disease progression.
Aa
Aggregatibacter
actinomycetemcomitans
Pg
Porphyromonas
gingivalis
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Td
Treponema
denticola
Tf
Tannerella
forsythia
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Fn*
Fusobacterium
nucleatum
* Fn, while sometimes listed as a potential pathogen, is typically part of the commensal or core microbiome. It turns pathogenic when in the presence of Aa or Pg or both. This is why it's included in the HR5 test.
These 5, namely Aa, Pg, Tf, Td, and Fn, are the primary culprits behind...
1
Oral dysbiosis
2
Pathogenesis of all microbes via genetic exchange within the biofilm
3
Dysfunctional systemic inflammation, resulting in osteoclastic activity
4
Alveolar bone loss
5
Gingivitis and Periodontitis
6
Mucositis and Peri-implantitis
Aa
Pg
Td
Tf
Fn
Our Focus
Periodontal diseases are chronic inflammatory diseases caused by pathogenic imbalances in the oral microbiome, a condition known as dysbiosis.
Therefore, our focus in testing is to quantify key bacterial pathogens responsible for oral dysbiosis. These pathogens become the therapeutic targets and are assessed post-treatment to gauge treatment effectiveness.
Aa, Pg, Td, and Tf are true pathogens that lead to oral dysbiosis, altering the normal healthy flora into a pathogenic one, and causing diseases of the periodontium (Journal of Medical Microbiology, 2021). Fn, while sometimes listed as a potential pathogen, is typically part of the commensal or core microbiome. It turns pathogenic when in the presence of Aa or Pg or both.
In biofilm infections such as Strep throat, Sinusitis, Lung infections, Skin infections, or Urinary tract infection, various microorganisms may be present in the biofilm. However, research and antimicrobial therapy zero in on the causative agents of each disease, not the entire mix of organisms. By eradicating the primary cause, you can halt or reverse disease progression.
Just as in other infectious or inflammatory diseases, the root causes of disease are the primary treatment targets.
Most importantly, the disease can be cured with effective therapy options.
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Testing for additional species is too costly for both the clinician and the patient.
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Patients do not benefit because there's no scientific benchmark for testing the entire oral microbiome.
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Consequently, assessing hundreds of species does not provide a treatment endpoint due to a lack of scientific data on the subject.
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Aa, Pg, Td, Tf, and Fn are the primary drivers of pathogenic imbalances that lead to periodontal diseases (which include gingivitis, periodontitis, peri-implant mucositis, and peri-implantitis).
But why not test for more?
