Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University Jun 30 2026 Reviewed Periodontal (gum) disease is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, caused by the bacterium  Porphyromonas gingivalis  ( P. gingivalis ). In Japan alone, approximately 80% of adults over 30 years old are affected or considered at risk. Published in  Communications Biology , a joint study by the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Tottori University, Hiroshima University, and