The effect of oral health on HIV

Gum disease and tooth decay plague most people at some point and are often associated with ageing or poor health. But for those living with HIV, these common issues could cause more severe problems and even impact the effectiveness of treatments to keep the virus at bay.

Tulane University researchers received a $1.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the interplay between oral health, the severity of HIV infection and the efficacy of antiretroviral therapies (ART) used to treat HIV. The three-year study is funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Dr Prasun Datta, principal investigator and associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the Tulane National Primate Research Center, will study how chronic oral infections and resulting inflammation affects HIV levels and the effectiveness of ART to prevent replication of the virus.