Link Between Periodontal Inflammation and Cardiovascular Risk. Literature Review

Abstract

For dental practice, it is necessary to highlight the relevance of periodontal inflammation and oral microorganisms in the development and progression of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases in general, focusing on PI as a causal factor of CVD due to the great complexity and interaction that present the Gram-negative bacteria characteristic of chronic periodontal disease with the vast vascularization of the stomatognathic system. Recent findings describe the association at the cellular and molecular level between periodontal and cardiovascular diseases, although the specific causal correlation as a determining risk factor has not been established. Periodontal disease has been associated with several systemic diseases, and atherosclerosis has become very important in recent years. The possibility of an association has been documented in several field investigations, and this one refers to a systemic bacteremia caused by poor oral hygiene, which in turn can cause bacterial growth on the atherosclerotic plaques located in the coronary arteries, which possibly It will worsen the patient's clinical picture and prognosis, so it is crucial that clinicians understand the association between periodontal and cardiovascular disease to determine a patient's risk of CVD. Comprehensive treatment for gingival inflammatory conditions and reestablishing a healthy periodontium may help reduce widespread inflammation that plays an important role in preventing cardiovascular disease, although most researchers say future research is needed to establish a causal relationship, which only experimental studies could unmask.