Science Daily reported yesterday, the USC School of Dentistry has found that a combination of extracellular material and bacteria, known as biofilms, are creating infections in jaw tissue. This is occurring in patients who take biophosphate drugs for osetoporosis or cancer (Fosamax, Boniva, Actone). Osteonecrosis for these patients has increased. How does the infection begin? When the jawbone is exposed, such as in the case of an extraction, biofilms attack and spread. The research shows that sticky biofilm “communities” cling to bone and ward off antimicrobial agents. Under powerful electron scanning microscopes, researchers saw pitted bone tissue covered with “sprawling” biofilm. Now the team is working to determine why biophosphonate drugs promote biofilm infections. The full report is available to review in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Sugery, April 2008 issue.
SOURCE: Study Shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 2, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430090117.htm