Is atherosclerosis a periodontally-induced disease?
Madrid, C.; Bouferrache, K.; Pop, S.; Abarca, M.
Revue Medicale Suisse 5(227): 2388-2393
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 1660-9379 PMID: 20052838 Document Number: 13245
Traditional risk factors do not explain all of cases of ischemic cardiovascular disease. The literature now identifies periodontal disease, a chronic oral infection, as a potential risk factor of atherosclerosis. Three plausible biologic pathways have been proposed to explain this link: a direct action of periodontal bacteria migrating by bacteriemia, an indirect action by inflammation, mediators an immunopathogenic pathway related to heat shock proteins. Clinical studies show an increase in the CRP or recirculating specific immunoglobulins in presence of advanced periodontal disease. Other interventional studies show a reduction in cardiovascular risk factors when intensive periodontal therapy is used in patients with advanced periodontal disease. Literature therefore confirms a modest link between periodontal and cardiovascular diseases even if causality is not confirmed so far.
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