Effect of Simple Oral Dental Extraction on Systemic Serum Amyloid A Concentrations in Horses.

This research article discusses the impact of simple oral tooth extraction on the systemic serum amyloid A (SAA) protein levels in horses, thus shedding light on the possibility of more severe dental issues causing wider inflammation. The findings suggest that horses with periodontal disease, a severe dental disorder, see a significant rise in their SAA levels post-extraction, indicating that systemic inflammation may result from the local inflammation triggered by the dental health condition.

Objective and Methods

• The study aimed to examine whether SAA levels increase in horses undergoing straightforward oral extraction of non-fractured cheek teeth, with or without periodontal disease.
• This was a prospective cohort study in which SAA levels were measured at baseline (T = 0), at 24 hours (T = 24), and at 48 hours (T = 48) post-extraction.
• SAA is an acute phase protein that indicates inflammation in the body, and its concentration was measured using a stall-side test.
• A total of eight horses and four ponies aged between 4 and 23 years were included in the study who required cheek tooth extraction. The sample did not include horses undergoing extraction of fractured teeth.

Results

• The findings showed a significant difference in SAA concentration between the groups of horses with and without periodontal disease 24 and 48 hours after extraction.
• The horses with periodontal disease were found to have a higher median SAA concentration at both intervals. At 24 hours, the SAA concentration median was 135 mg/L, at 48 hours post-extraction, the median concentration was 264 mg/L.
• In contrast, in horses without periodontal disease, the median SAA concentration at 24 hours was 27.5 mg/L and at 48 hours post-extraction, was 0 mg/L.

Conclusion

• Despite the small sample size used in the study, the results indicate that the extraction of non-fractured cheek teeth does not trigger a notable increase in SAA in horses, except in those with pre-existing periodontal disease.
• This suggests that periodontal disease may lead to a local inflammatory response in horses and when these inflamed periodontal tissues get disturbed, it can lead to a systemic inflammatory response that can be determined by a detectable increase in inflammatory markers.
• The findings underscore the potential systemic consequences of severe dental disease in horses and warrant further study to better understand these effects.