Dental Cleaning
Scientific studies reveal a genetic link between major illnesses such as heart disease and a dental disease known as periodontitis. Scientists hope to develop methods to control this prevalent gum disease and reduce its role as a major factor in systemic diseases. Increased public awareness plays a vital part in bringing this about.
Genetic Link
Periodontitis, a dental disease that causes the supporting structures of teeth, tissues, bone and ligaments to erode, affects approximately 90 percent of people over the age of 60. According to Medical News Today, periodontitis results not only in the loss of teeth, but contributes to the risk of heart disease. Suspecting a genetic connection, Dr. Arne Schaefer, Institute for Clinical Molecular Biology at the University of Kiel, Germany, along with his colleagues, discovered that a gene known as a risk factor for myocardial infarction (heart attack) shares a similar connection to periodontitis. Their findings, presented to the European Society of Human Genetics in Vienna, 25 May 2009, provides additional urgency for dentists to diagnose and treat periodontitis in its early stages in order to reduce the risk of coronary disease.
Studies
Dr. Schaefer's initial study included two groups of patients. One group included 151 patients with uncontrolled periodontitis. The second group of participants contained 1,097 patients with coronary heart disease and a history of a previous heart attack. According to Dr. Schaefer, "The genetic variation associated with the clinical pictures of both diseases was identical."
To confirm their results, the researchers studied two additional groups--1,100 coronary heart disease patients and 180 study participants with periodontitis. Confirming the identical genetic variant for both diseases, the researchers now seek to find the relationship between the gene and healthy and diseased gum tissue.
Risk Factors
Periodontitis and coronary heart disease share several common risk factors: smoking, diabetes, obesity, chronic inflammation and an altered immune reaction. Men have a higher rate of incidence for coronary heart disease and periodontitis according to Medical News Today.
Promoting Public Awareness
The connection between periodontal disease, coronary heart disease and other major diseases poses a significant threat to life and health. In their testimony before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Oral Health (CDC DOH), members of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) suggested they review the results of the 2009 to 2010 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey compiled in an attempt to determine the periodontal health of the United States population. Both the CDC and the AAP plan continued collaboration to increase public awareness of periodontal disease, its link to coronary heart disease and diabetes and the necessity of maintaining adequate oral health.
Conclusion
Patients with periodontitis develop periodontal pockets, spaces where the gum tissue and bone recede from the teeth. These pockets fill with bacteria, which scientists believe provides an additional link to heart disease according to Perio.org. The discovery of the genetic connection to periodontitis opens the way to the development of methods for earlier detection and treatment before the disease triggers other serious health issues.
Tags: heart disease, coronary heart, coronary heart disease, both diseases, connection periodontitis, genetic connection