Procter and Gamble research yields gingivitis discovery

Procter and Gamble has pointed to the results of new research which discovered that gingivitis is affected by genetic factors, rather than a person’s hygiene habits.

The study, which was undertaken jointly by the organisation and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, found that 9,000 genes – nearly 30 per cent of the number contained in the human body – are expressed differently during the onset and healing process of gingivitis.

Immune system activation-associated biological pathways were found to be the major methods being activated and were discovered to be critical to controlling the body’s reaction to plaque build-up.

Leslie Winston, co-author of the study and director of professional and scientific relations at Procter and Gamble Oral Care, said: “We plan to conduct additional research to identify biomarkers of gum disease […] and hope that this will lead to new and more advanced treatment options and preventative measures.”

In December, Procter and Gamble’s chief executive officer Robert McDonald stated that the firm is aiming to attract a further 548,000 customers every day over the next five years, the New York Times reported.