ASSOCIATION BETWEEN IL-10 GENE POLYMORPHISMS, TOBACCO SMOKING, AND THE RATE OF PERIODONTITIS PROGRESSION

Purpose: Periodontitis is a multifactorial disease with a significant impact on overall health and quality of life. While pathogenic anaerobic bacteria play a central etiologic role, other factors such as aging, tobacco smoking, stress, medications, and genetics also influence disease development and progression. According to the 2017 Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions, grading helps predict the rate of progression, considering both primary criteria (clinical or radiographic evidence) and modifying factors (e.g., smoking, diabetes). Genetic predisposition further modifies the host response in periodontitis. This study examined the influence of tobacco smoking and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the rate of disease progression. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two patients with generalized Stage III–IV periodontitis were examined clinically and radiographically. Buccal mucosa samples were collected for DNA extraction and IL-10 SNP analysis. Data were evaluated statistically. Results: Distinct genotype distributions of IL-10 polymorphisms were identified. No significant association was found between these polymorphisms and the rate of progression determined by the BL/Age ratio. However, a statistically significant relationship was observed between tobacco smoking and BL/Age. Conclusions: Tobacco smoking was confirmed as a major factor modifying the grade of periodontitis. Additionally, the absence of the A-allele was associated with a slower progression rate, suggesting that genotypes carrying the A-allele predispose to a more rapid progression of the disease.