Periodontitis link to coronary artery disease.
CHICAGO - October 26, 2004 - Research is racing to help healthcare
professionals further understand how periodontal diseases are
linked to cardiovascular disease. A study published in a recent
issue of the Journal of Periodontology explains another reason
why people with periodontal diseases are at a significant risk
for coronary artery disease (CAD).
This study examined 108 patients who had coronary artery disease
and 62 people of similar age (about 60), who didn’t have
CAD
“The results of this study showed that periodontitis in
cardiac patients was significantly more frequent than in non-cardiac
patients.” said Professor E.H. Rompen, Department of Periodontology
- Dental Surgery, C.H.U. Liège, Belgium. “We found
that 91% of patients with cardiovascular disease suffered from
moderate to severe periodontitis, while this proportion was 66%
in the non-cardiac patients.” In other words, people with
periodontal disease had a significantly higher risk of coronary
artery disease (not to mention stroke and other vascular problems).
Periodontitis seems to influence the occurrence and the severity
of coronary artery disease and increases the risk of heart attack
or stroke, and the study proposes two hypotheses for this occurrence.
One hypothesis is that periodontal pathogens could enter the bloodstream,
invade the blood vessel walls and ultimately cause atherosclerosis.
(Atherosclerosis is a multistage process set in motion when cells
lining the arteries are damaged as a result of high blood pressure,
smoking, toxic substances, and other agents.)
Another hypothesis is based on several studies that have shown
that periodontal infections can be correlated with increased plasma
levels of inflammation such as fibrinogen (this creates blood
clots), C-reactive protein, or several cytokines (hormone proteins).
"This study supports earlier findings, and even showed a
significantly higher prevalence of periodontal diseases in cardiac
patients. There is still much research to be done to understand
the link between periodontal diseases and systemic diseases, such
as cardiovascular, and difficult-to-control diabetes,” said
Dr. Michael P. Rethman, DDS, MS, and president of the American
Academy of Periodontology. “The data in this study shows
the importance of regular dental checkups to ensure a healthy,
diseased-free mouth.”
RHC says: Boiled down, what this says is that your chances of
having a heart attack or stroke are greatly lowered if you have
healthy gums! Tell your friends and anyone you care about!
From: http://www.perio.org/consumer/coronary-disease.htm
