Gum disease linked to heart problems
Oral health, particularly bacteria in the mouth, may affect future heart health. Periodontitis, a severe periodontal disease, can damage the tissues and bone supporting the teeth. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1 billion people worldwide are living with a severe periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is an umbrella term for a group of inflammatory conditions that affect teeth, gums, and surrounding tissues. One type of periodontal disease is periodontitis, which can cause damage to the tissues and bone supporting the teeth. When a person has periodontitis, bacteria that enter the gums can spread into the bloodstream, reaching all parts of the body.
Link between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease
Past studies show that periodontitis can increase a person’s risk for several health conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, pneumonia, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and cardiovascular disease. A new study has found a link between periodontitis and a cardiovascular condition called calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS).
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Researchers used several methods, including human heart tissue and a mouse model, to search for a potential link between periodontitis and CAVS. Chenyang Li, MD, a PhD candidate and co-first author of the study, said, “CAVS is the most common valvular heart disease in older adults, affecting approximately 2%–7% of people over the age of 65.”
Study findings
At the study’s conclusion, researchers found that repeated exposure to live Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) in mice led to bacterial accumulation in the aortic valves and increased valve calcification and symptoms of aortic stenosis. The P. gingivalis prevented the effects from being reduced when antibiotics were administered.
Chenyang Li, MD, said, “Our findings suggest that repeated systemic exposure to P. gingivalis may actively contribute to the development of CAVS rather than simply being an incidental finding.” He added, “We also observed that preventive antibiotic treatment reduced bacterial accumulation in the aortic valves and attenuated valve calcification, further supporting the possibility that bacterial infection promotes disease progression.”
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The study’s findings are consistent with what is already known about the connection between oral health and cardiovascular disease.
Implications and future research
For readers looking to improve their oral health to prevent periodontitis, Ana Becil Giglio, DDS, president of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), recommends several methods to maintain good oral health.
While the findings are preliminary and do not prove cause and effect in humans, they reinforce an important message: periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects more than the mouth. As Chenyang Li, MD, noted, the next step is to validate these findings in larger clinical cohorts and explore whether interventions targeting infection-related inflammatory pathways may represent a promising strategy for preventing or slowing the progression of calcific aortic valve disease.
