by Kodjo Adadevoh

Created on: March 21, 2010   Last Updated: March 25, 2010

Starting in the 1990s, scientific studies began to link overall dental health to the risk of cardiovascular disease. The link has to do with inflammation that results from oral infection and the cascade of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agents that are released to both the site of infection and also into the blood stream. Inflammation of tissue is one of the body’s defense mechanisms; the body releases anti-microbial agents to the site of infection which aids in preventing further spread of the offending agent to other sites within the body.

Leftover food in the mouth that is not removed by flossing and brushing of teeth leads to plaque build-up in the mouth and often the plaque makes its way into the bloodstream. People forget that their mouths are connected to the rest of their bodies and hence a healthy mouth is a healthy body and an unhealthy mouth leads to an unhealthy body.

The plaque on teeth release both gram positive and gram negative bacteria into the oral cavity, these offending organism infiltrate the gingival epithelium eventually leading to gingivitis.  Patients with gingivitis may not be aware of the severity of their disease since there is often no pain, hence for many individuals, their condition goes undetected or untreated for years. Gum disease is positively correlated with heart disease and the same bacteria that have been identified in the mouths of people with gum disease have also been identified in arterial plaques.

Scientists believe that poor oral hygiene which typically leads to cavities, gingivitis, periodontitis and other oral problems can often lead to an increase in the amount of bacteria circulating in the blood stream. The specific type of bacteria is not important, what is important is the amount of bacteria.  The larger the amount of bacteria in the mouth, the higher is the level in the blood stream.

Atherosclerosis is the thickening and hardening of the arteries that is produced by plaque build-up.  Atherosclerosis develops when deposits such as fats in the blood stream begin to stick to the walls of the arteries leading to narrowing and clogging of the arteries.  Plaque blocks blood flow, when this happens, the individual can experience either a heart attack or a stroke, depending on the location of the blockage.

Atherosclerosis is inflammation related; hence identifying the molecules that are involved in the cascade that leads to Atherosclerosis is important. A classical marker for the prognosis

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