The details of how gum disease can translate into heart disease haven’t been exactly worked out. But popular theory says that gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is caused by bacteria that overgrow in the mouth. These bacteria can hide out in the small crevices between the tooth and the gum as well as under the tongue. If this overgrowth isn’t prevented or treated, the bacteria can migrate into the blood and find a new home in the blood vessels of the heart. Once inside of the heart, these bacteria can trigger atherosclerosis, a process in which dense, cholesterol-filled plaque dangerously builds up in the arteries.
Scientists at first were suspicious of the link between periodontal disease and heart ailments, but a steady accumulation of research has provided strong support to the theory. Researchers have found components of mouth bacteria present along blood-vessel walls in and around the plaques that can create dangerous blockages. Studies have shown that persons with periodontal disease have increased blood levels of oxygen-free radicals, molecules that are known to damage blood-vessel walls and set the stage for plaque build-up. And patients who have both gum and heart disease sometimes have higher levels of C-reactive protein that is believed to be related to an inflammatory response in the blood vessel wall that contributes to artery clogging.
So what are researchers doing to prevent these complications? At a recent meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Dr. Caroline Genco from Boston University presented her findings in mice. She bred mice with a high risk of heart disease, then orally infected them with either P. gingivalis, a bacterium known to cause gum disease, or a harmless variant of the bacterium not linked to gum disease. She found that while both strains of the bacteria traveled from the mouth to the heart, only the toxic strain caused significant damage to the bones in the mouth as well as inflammation in heart arteries. More importantly, vaccination against P. gingivalis actually prevented atherosclerosis in those mice exposed to the dangerous bug.
Currently, a vaccine against this bacterium is not available for people, but researchers are working to develop one, hoping that it could reduce the incidence of heart disease. In addition, a multicenter study is already underway that is trying to determine if treating gum disease with appropriate antibiotics will help kill the bugs and protect against heart disease. But until we find these answers, dental researchers insist that old-fashioned oral hygiene is still the way to go. Regular brushing and flossing could mean more than avoiding torture in the dentist’s chair, but also avoiding the dangers of heart disease.
