Periodontitis as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease

Abstract:

It is estimated that the prevalence of periodontitis in the world is as high as 45-50%, which ranks it at the very top, more precisely in the sixth place of the most common diseases of the world population. Epidemiological, microbiological and immunological research is increasingly confirming that periodontal disease is a separate risk for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, but also for some other conditions and diseases. Advanced periodontitis is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Mechanisms by which periodontal infection affects cardiovascular events are bacteremia and the systemic inflammatory processes in the body caused by it. Experimental studies have shown that the presence of oral pathogenic bacteria in atheromas can induce platelet activation and aggregation which plays an important role in the development of atheromatosis and thrombosis, ultimately leading to various cardiovascular events.

Key words:
atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; infection; inflammation; periodontitis