Recently, The American Heart Association published an
article in the journal Circulation analyzing research data on the link between
gum disease and heart disease. Here is
the article: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2012/04/18/CIR.0b013e31825719f3.full.pdf+html.
While there is clear evidence linking untreated gum disease (of sufficient severity to result in increased systemic inflammation) to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, there
is insufficient evidence to classify gum disease as a direct cause of
cardiovascular disease. And, while there
is evidence linking successful treatment of gum disease to reduced systemic
inflammation short-term, there is insufficient evidence to declare that this
results in improved cardiovascular outcomes (reduced risk) long-term. Even so, this failure to establish a direct correlation
between periodontal therapy/improved gum health and improved long-term outcomes
might simply be due to a lack of specific research looking closely enough at
this relationship. As the American Academy
"The AAP believes additional long-term interventional
studies are needed to better understand the specific nature of the relationship
between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. Patients’ periodontal
status should also be added to future longitudinal studies of cardiovascular
disease. The AAP hopes that the American Heart Association’s statement brings
attention to the association between the two diseases and the need for
additional research in this area."
Stay tuned (and follow this blog) for additional updates on this
important topic.
