What is the relationship between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease?

The systemic inflammatory or immune response to periodontal infection may increase cardiovascular risk. Also, pathogens from the mouth can enter atherosclerotic plaques via the blood stream, and this could promote an inflammatory or immune response within the atherosclerotic plaque.

How does periodontitis affect the heart?

The bacteria that infect the gums and cause gingivitis and periodontitis also travel to blood vessels elsewhere in the body where they cause blood vessel inflammation and damage; tiny blood clots, heart attack and stroke may follow.

Which tissue may be affected with periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease is most often preceded by gingivitis which is a bacterial infection of the gum tissue. A bacterial infection affects the gums when the toxins contained in plaque begin to irritate and inflame the gum tissues.

Is cardiovascular disease a risk factor for periodontitis?

For these reasons, in the last decades, periodontitis has been associated with the onset of systemic disorders including cardiovascular disease (CVDs) and diabetes [14,15,16].

Can a gum infection spread to your heart?

As such, bacterial infections associated with poor oral health, such as gingivitis and periodontitis, can also spread to the heart. The toxic bacteria can enter the bloodstream and can end up in the heart where they can then cause deadly endocarditis.

How does plaque contribute to cardiovascular disease?

Plaques can cause an artery to become narrowed or blocked. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form. Plaques and blood clots can reduce blood flow through an artery. Atherosclerosis is a slow, progressive disease that may begin as early as childhood.

Can gum infections lead to heart disease?

You might think the mouth and heart don’t have much in common. But increasing evidence suggests they may be closely linked. Researchers suspect that bacteria present in gum disease can travel throughout the body, triggering inflammation in the heart’s vessels and infection in heart valves.

What causes tissue destruction in periodontal disease?

Periodontal tissues have an immune system against the invasion of these bacteria, however, due to the persistent infection by periodontopathogenic bacteria, the host innate and acquired immunity is impaired, and tissue destruction, including bone tissue destruction, occurs.

How does periodontal disease cause atherosclerosis?

The vascular mechanism(s) by which periodontal infection could predispose to atherosclerosis remains unclear. However, there is evidence that P. gingivalis can adhere to and infect cultures of coronary endothelial cells,24 with subsequent activation and expression of cell adhesion molecules.

Is there an association between periodontitis and hypertension?

Recent evidence suggests a possible causal link between periodontitis and hypertension. Patients with periodontitis often present with higher arterial BP values and a 30% to 70% higher chance to also present with hypertension,10 especially when there is active gingival inflammation (ie, with gingival bleeding).

How do I know if my tooth infection has spread to my heart?

Thus, if you notice any of these other 5 symptoms, even without an obvious rupture, you should seek emergency medical help at once.

  1. Feeling Unwell. The first thing you may notice is that you start to feel unwell.
  2. Fever.
  3. Swelling.
  4. Increased Heart and Breathing Rate.
  5. Dehydration and Stomach Pain.