Tulay Lindberg

Translational Odontology – We investigate the biological and epidemiological connections between periodontitis, periodontal pathogens, and associated diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and cancer), emphasizing shared immunological pathways, host‑response interactions, microbially mediated processes, and treatment‑responsive signatures that reveal bidirectional interactions across disease systems.

Periodontitis is a chronic, immune‑mediated inflammatory disease of the tooth‑supporting tissues, driven by a dysbiotic oral biofilm and a dysregulated host response. Its onset and progression arise from complex interactions among microbial ecology, host genetics and epigenetic influences, environmental exposures, and lifestyle factors. Although the clinical manifestations are well characterized, the underlying molecular pathways, regulatory networks, and causal hierarchies remain incompletely defined.

In addition to its oral manifestations, periodontitis has been connected to systemic conditions that exhibit similar inflammatory and immune dysregulation, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and rheumatoid arthritis. Emerging evidence also suggests links with various cancers, potentially mediated by systemic inflammation, microbial translocation, immune modulation, and metabolite‑driven signaling. The strength and nature of these associations vary across diseases and populations, and questions of temporality and causality continue to be active areas of investigation.

Within translational odontology, the central objective is to translate mechanistic insights into clinically actionable strategies, enabling earlier detection and more precise interventions that improve outcomes across oral and systemic health.