Oral health: what relation with our genetics?

Dental professionals keep telling us that oral hygiene is of the utmost importance to avoid cavities and, in general, to maintain good oral health!

However, it has been noted that some individuals are more likely to develop cavities than others despite their efforts in oral hygiene. This leads us to wonder if there is not a certain genetic influence on dental health, which would make some subjects more vulnerable to cavities. Nutrident makes the point on this subject!

Relationship between genetics and dental health: what does the science say?

It is important to know that not all scientists agree on the issue, some studies state that there is no link between genetic factors and the formation of cavities and that only hygiene rules are involved. Others, on the contrary, proclaim that genetics plays a significant role in dental health.

We review the arguments on both sides to gain a better understanding.

No, genes have nothing to do with the formation of cavities!

A study conducted by an Australian research team on 173 pairs of homozygous and heterozygous twins (identical and fraternal twins) followed from pregnancy to age 6 showed the following results:

• 32.2% of children had caries at age 6, of which 24.1% were in an advanced stage;
• Homozygous twins (identical twins: having exactly the same genes) had variable oral status with caries of different degrees of severity. This shows that environmental factors (oral hygiene) were determinant in their genesis.
• Evidence of a link between the mother's lifestyle during pregnancy and the dental health of her children. Indeed, obesity during pregnancy is believed to promote cavities in future children by affecting their fetal development.

This study, published in the scientific journal “PEDIATRICS”, concludes that genetics has no influence on the risk of developing cavities and that environmental factors (hygiene) are the key to their prevention.

Yes, genetic factors influence dental health!

A new study published in the famous scientific mega-journal “PLOS One” contradicts the conclusions of the Australian team by highlighting the responsibility of a gene in cario-susceptibility (i.e. the susceptibility to develop cavities).

This gene, called ” the AMELX gene “, is responsible for the synthesis of amelogenin which is an essential protein for the formation of tooth enamel.

This study concluded that the higher the rate of synthesis of amelogenin, which is genetically dependent (the AMELX gene), during dental development, the stronger the enamel, which makes teeth less prone to cavities. While a low level of this protein will be responsible for the formation of a fragile enamel and vulnerable to the acid attacks of the oral bacteria at the origin of the caries.

There is therefore a genetic predisposition to the development of cavities.

To conclude

It should be noted that although there is some influence of genetic factors in the formation of cavities, environmental factors, i.e. oral hygiene and diet, remain the primary culprits.

It is therefore out of the question to neglect one's oral hygiene under the pretext of having a sort of “genetic immunity to cavities”!