In a new study from the Karolinska Institute, researchers found gum disease is linked to an increased risk of heart disease: the more severe the periodontitis, the higher the risk.
The association was particularly strong among patients who had experienced a heart attack in the past.
The finding suggests that dental screening including regular check-ups and education on proper dental hygiene may help to prevent heart disease.
Periodontitis is a serious infection that damages gums and can destroy the jawbone.
Previously, the team has shown that periodontitis was much more common in first-time heart attack patients compared to their healthy peers of the same age.
In the study, the team examined 1,587 participants with an average age of 62 years.
The people underwent a dental examination between 2010 and 2014: 985 were classified as healthy, 489 had moderate periodontitis, and 113 had severe periodontitis.
During an average follow-up of 6.2 years, the team found participants with periodontitis had 49% higher risks of heart disease compared to those with healthy gums.
The more severe the periodontitis, the higher the risk.
The team says the risk of experiencing a heart event during follow-up was higher in participants with periodontitis, increasing in parallel with the severity.
This was particularly apparent in patients who had already experienced a heart attack.
The researchers postulate that the damage of periodontal tissues in people with gum disease may facilitate the transfer of germs into the bloodstream.
This could accelerate harmful changes to the blood vessels and/or enhance systemic inflammation that is harmful to the vessels.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about this weight loss surgery may lower heart disease risk and findings of common flu may play a big role in heart attacks in older people.
For more information about heart disease and your health, please see recent studies about a new way to prevent heart attacks, strokes and results showing that these foods linked to high risks of heart disease and stroke.
The study was presented at ESC Congress 2021. One author of the study is Dr. Giulia Ferrannini.
Copyright © 2021 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
