Gum disease Archives - MyMedicPlus

Effect of obesity on non-surgical periodontal care

mymedicplus — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 05:48:56 +0000

Source: asianage.com

Washington: A new study explores how the most common non-communicable diseases, Obesity and gum (periodontal) might be related to each other. It also highlights the effect of obesity on non-surgical periodontal care. The study was published in ‘British Dental Journal.’

The connection between obesity and gum disease isn’t as simple as cause-and-effect, said Andres Pinto, co-author of the study at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. Instead, the relationship centers on what both diseases have in common: inflammation.

Examining a large number of existing studies, researchers found that data showing increased body mass index, waist circumference and percentage of body fat to be associated with an increased risk to develop gum disease, also known as periodontitis.

Most studies analysed data from population subsets at one point in time, as opposed to studying the same population over a longer period. They concluded that changes in body chemistry affect metabolism, which, in turn, causes inflammation–something present in both maladies. “Periodontal disease occurs in patients more susceptible to inflammation–who are also more susceptible to obesity,” Pinto said.

“This information can inform how health-care professionals plan treatments for patients suffering from obesity and/or gum disease.” “Oral health-care professionals need to be aware of the complexity of obesity to counsel their patients about the importance of appropriate body weight and maintaining good oral hygiene,” he added. Pinto said further research on the relationship between gum disease and obesity is needed, noting there is, at this point, limited evidence to recommend changes in treatment planning.

“There is a thought, from the clinical perspective, that if you treat one of the issues, it may impact the other,” he said. “This is a big question. For example, if we treat obesity successfully, will this impact periodontal disease to the point of being of clinical relevance compared to control the population. The jury is still out given the paucity of controlled, well designed, clinical trials on this issue.”

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Gum disease linked with higher risk of hypertension

mymedicplus — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 12:58:39 +0000

Source:- escardio.org

People with gum disease (periodontitis) have a greater likelihood of high blood pressure (hypertension), according to a study published today in Cardiovascular Research, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

High blood pressure affects 30–45% of adults and is the leading global cause of premature death,² while periodontitis affects more than 50% of the world’s population. Hypertension is the main preventable cause of cardiovascular disease, and periodontitis has been linked with increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

“Hypertension could be the driver of heart attack and stroke in patients with periodontitis,” said Professor D’Aiuto. “Previous research suggests a connection between periodontitis and hypertension and that dental treatment might improve blood pressure, but to date the findings are inconclusive.”

This study compiled the best available evidence to examine the odds of high blood pressure in patients with moderate and severe gum disease. A total of 81 studies from 26 countries were included in the meta-analysis.

Moderate-to-severe periodontitis was associated with a 22% raised risk for hypertension, while severe periodontitis was linked with 49% higher odds of hypertension. Lead author Dr Eva Munoz Aguilera of UCL Eastman Dental Institute said: “We observed a positive linear relationship, with the hazard of high blood pressure rising as gum disease became more severe.”

Average arterial blood pressure was higher in patients with periodontitis compared to those without. This amounted to 4.5 mmHg higher systolic and 2 mmHg higher diastolic blood pressures. “The differences are not negligible,” said Dr Munoz Aguilera. “An average 5 mmHg blood pressure rise would be linked to a 25% increased risk of death from heart attack or stroke.”

Just 5 out of 12 interventional studies included in the review showed a reduction in blood pressure following gum treatment. The changes occurred even in people with healthy blood pressure levels.

Professor D’Aiuto said: “There seems to be a continuum between oral health and blood pressure which exists in healthy and diseased states. The evidence suggesting periodontal therapy could reduce blood pressure remains inconclusive. In nearly all intervention studies, blood pressure was not the primary outcome. Randomised trials are needed to determine the impact of periodontal therapy on blood pressure.”

Regarding potential reasons for the connection between the conditions, gum disease and the associated oral bacteria lead to inflammation throughout the body, which affects blood vessel function. Common genetic susceptibility could also play a role, along with shared risk factors such as smoking and obesity.

Professor D’Aiuto said: “In many countries throughout the world, oral health is not checked regularly, and gum disease remains untreated for many years. The hypothesis is that this situation of oral and systemic inflammation and response to bacteria accumulates on top of existing risk factors.”

He noted that the study investigated gum disease as a potential risk factor for hypertension, but the reverse could also be true. “Further research is needed to examine whether patients with high blood pressure have a raised likelihood of gum disease. It seems prudent to provide oral health advice to those with hypertension,” he said.

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Gum Disease Might Raise Your Blood Pressure

mymedicplus — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 10:23:44 +0000

Source:- webmd.com

Here’s a compelling reason to keep those dreaded appointments with your dentist: New research suggests that red, tender or bleeding gums could trigger high blood pressure.

In a review of 81 studies that included more than 250,000 people, U.K. scientists found that those who had moderate to severe gum disease (periodontitis) had a 22% increased risk for high blood pressure, and those with severe gum disease had a 49% higher risk.

“Oral health is closely linked to general health,” explained researcher Dr. Francesco D’Aiuto, head of the periodontology unit at University College London’s Eastman Dental Institute.

“Looking after your teeth and gums is often neglected, but [it] should be as important as managing other general health risks,” he added.

Among people with periodontitis, systolic pressure (top number) was 4.5 mm Hg higher and diastolic pressure (bottom number) was 2 mm Hg higher, on average, than people without gum disease, the researchers found.

In five of the studies analyzed, researchers found that blood pressure dropped when periodontitis was treated. Blood pressure also dropped in patients treated for gum disease who didn’t have hypertension, they added.

But whether treating periodontitis really is the cause of a drop in blood pressure isn’t certain, D’Aiuto said, since the study did not prove a cause-and-effect link.

“Bad brushing and bacteria accumulation around teeth causes gum bleeding and disease, but also could raise body inflammation and cause blood vessel damage,” D’Aiuto said.

When the gums are infected, the disease can spread to other parts of the body causing systemic inflammation, which can harm blood, the researchers noted.

Some people may have a genetic susceptibility that might also play a part, along with other risk factors such as smoking and obesity, they added.

“Every dentist should inform their patients of the potential link and the risk of developing high blood pressure,” D’Aiuto said.

In addition to giving advice on good dental hygiene and treatment, dentists should advise patients to keep tabs on their blood pressure with their primary care doctor, he said.

“Future research should look at the effects of treating gum disease on blood pressure,” D’Aiuto said. “If the association is proven true, then patients could benefit from managing gum disease beyond the mouth.”

A growing body of evidence shows an association between periodontitis and hypertension, along with hardening of the arteries, said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

More than 50 studies have shown that periodontitis is associated with increased risk for heart disease and an association between tooth loss and stroke, cardiovascular death and death from any cause, he said.

“However, it remains unclear whether gum disease is a marker or mediator,” Fonarow said.

“If causal, these associations would be of great importance because of the potential that preventing or treating periodontal disease could reduce blood pressure levels, as well as reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events,” he said.

More studies are needed to see if improving oral health can influence heart and vascular health, Fonarow added.

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Are people with gum disease at greater risk of high blood pressure?

mymedicplus — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 09:35:14 +0000

Source:

A new study suggests that people with gum disease (periodontitis) have a greater likelihood of suffering from high blood pressure or vice versa.

The study investigated gum disease as a potential risk factor for hypertension, but the reverse could also be true, warn researchers. “Further research is needed to examine whether patients with high blood pressure have a raised likelihood of gum disease. It seems prudent to provide oral health advice to those with hypertension,” said professor Francesco D’Aiuto from UCL Eastman Dental Institute in the UK.

High blood pressure affects 30-45 per cent of adults and is the leading global cause of premature death, while periodontitis affects more than 50 per cent of the world’s population.

“We observed a linear association – the more severe periodontitis is, the higher the probability of hypertension. The findings suggest that patients with gum disease should be informed of their risk and given advice on lifestyle changes to prevent high blood pressure such as exercise and a healthy diet,” said D’Aiuto in the paper published in Cardiovascular Research, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology.

Hypertension could be the driver of heart attack and stroke in patients with periodontitis.

“Previous research suggests a connection between periodontitis and hypertension and that dental treatment might improve blood pressure, but to date, the findings are inconclusive,” the researchers noted.

This study compiled the best available evidence to examine the odds of high blood pressure in patients with moderate and severe gum disease.

A total of 81 studies from 26 countries were included in the meta-analysis.

Moderate-to-severe periodontitis was associated with a 22 per cent raised risk for hypertension, while severe periodontitis was linked with 49 per cent higher odds of hypertension.

Average arterial blood pressure was higher in patients with periodontitis compared to those without. An average 5 mmHg blood pressure rise would be linked to a 25 per cent increased risk of death from heart attack or stroke, the researchers noted.

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