Heart Disease
Periodontal disease is associated with coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease, though the impact is unclear.
- Studies support an association between periodontitis and atherosclerotic vascular disease, but not a causative relationship.
- Inflammatory cytokines implicated in atherogenesis are also produced in periodontitis.
- Treatment of periodontal disease has not been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk.
Dan Ionut popescu/Photos.com
References
Beck JD, Eke P, Heiss G, et. al. Periodontal Disease and Coronary Heart Disease - A Reappraisal of the Exposure. Circulation. 2005; 112: 19-24.
Lockhart PB, Bolger AF, Papapanou PN, et al. Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Disease: Does the Evidence Support an Independent Association? Circulation. 2012; 125(20): 2520-44.
Kebschull M, Demmer RT, Papapanou PN, "Gum Bug, Leave my Heart Alone!" Epidemiologic and Mechanistic Evidence Linking Periodontal Infections and Atherosclerosis. J of Dental Research. 2010; 89: 879-902.
Demmer RT and Desvarieux M. Periodontal infection and cardiovascular disease: The heart of the matter. JADA. 2006; 137 (supplement 2): 14S-20S.
Huck O, Saadi-Thiers K, Tenenbaum H, et al. Evaluating periodontal risk for patient at risk of or suffering from atherosclerosis: Recent biological hypotheses and therapeutic consequences. Archives of Cardiovascular Disease. 2011; 104(5): 352-358.