The Connection of Gum Disease to Heart Disease

In current reading, both in the fields of medicine and dentistry, links between gum disease and heart disease are being bandied about. While research results suggest there is a connection between the two body systems, the scientific results are not yet definitive. Available information discussing the most plausible theories for the connection read like the proverbial "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

Basics

• Gum disease is known medically as gingivitis in its mild form, and periodontitis in its more severe form. People with gingivitis may not even be aware they have the condition until they visit the dentist. Both forms of gum disease are periodontal disorders; the more advanced the disease, the more likely that bone loss in the gums and tooth loss will occur (University of Maryland Medical Center) (UMMC).

Expert Insight

• "The state of your oral health can offer lots of clues to your overall health," the Mayo Clinic advises. Explaining that sometimes the first sign of ill health will show up in the mouth, or that conditions such as gum disease may cause problems in the rest of the body, the Mayo Clinic likens oral health as being the window of total health.

Theories/Speculation

• The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) explains some of the current theories relative to the connection between gum disease and heart disease:

  One theory is that some of the many bacteria present in gum disease enter the blood stream. From there the bacteria attach to the fatty plaques in the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries supply the heart muscle with blood. The fatty plaques present are the result of atherosclerosis. The thought behind gum disease speeding up or contributing to heart disease is that as the bacteria attach to the plaques, blood clots may form. Blood clots in the coronary arteries can lead to myocardial infarction (heart attack).

  Another theory posits that the inflammation caused by gum disease and its bacteria may cause increased plaque build-up. Plaque in the arteries narrows the channels through which blood flows, causing the heart to work harder to circulate the blood. Plaque also causes arteries to become less flexible.

Stroke

• The AAP advises that there have been research results which show that people who have experienced strokes or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) were more likely to have an oral infection than a random control group. Gum disease is therefore being considered as one of the risk factors for stroke.

Considerations

• According to unnamed studies cited by UMMC, those people with heart disease have a "1.5-4.0" increased risk for periodontal disease. This suggests that periodontal disease may not always be a prelude to heart disease, but vice versa.