Sex hormones behind increased risk of destructive periodontitis in men

According to researchers at the University of Maryland Dental School, sex hormones may be the biological reason why men are at greater risk than women for destructive periodontitis, an infection of the gums,

In a review paper in the Journal of Periodontology, the authors examine evidence for a biologic basis for a sexual dimorphism, or the differences in susceptibility, to periodontal disease between men and women. They conclude that sex steroids exert effects on multiple ways on the immune system regulation of inflammation. They also conclude that the root of the difference may be genetic.