Discovery and Validation of Periodontitis Biomarkers

Periodontitis is a major public health issue in China: it is responsible for loss of masticatory function in 60 million older adults, and 400-500 million adults are on the same disease trajectory. In addition, gingivitis and early-stage periodontitis are highly prevalent in all age groups. The Lancet 2021 burden of disease study provides worrying projections for China's oral health, with a 47.8% increase in advanced-stage periodontitis and a 217% increase in edentulism by the year 2050. The numbers are not manageable by the Chinese health system unless a series of coordinated actions are implemented: i) health education promoting oral hygiene in school and the workplace; ii) effective AI-based self-detection strategies and accurate identification of high-risk subjects; iii) efficient treatment modalities; and iv) reorganization of the health system. We have developed, patented, and vali