Brush your teeth to reduce the risk of heart diseaseSeptember 09, 2008Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. However, many people with cardiovascular disease have none of the common risk factors such as smoking, obesity and high cholesterol. Now, researchers have discovered a new link between gum disease and heart disease that may help find ways to save lives, scientists heard today (Tuesday 9 September 2008) at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn meeting being held this week at Trinity College, Dublin. In recent years chronic infections have been associated with a disease that causes "furring" of the arteries, called atherosclerosis, which is the main cause of heart attacks. Gum disease is one of the most common infections of humans and there are now over 50 studies linking gum disease with heart disease and stroke. "A number of theories have been put forward to explain the link between oral infection and heart disease," said Professor Greg Seymour from the University of Otago Dunedin, New Zealand. "One of these is that certain proteins from bacteria initiate atherosclerosis and help it progress. We wanted to see if this is the case, so we looked at the role of heat shock proteins." Heat shock proteins are produced by bacteria as well as animals and plants. They are produced after cells are exposed to different kinds of stress conditions, such as inflammation, toxins, starvation and oxygen and water deprivation. Because of this, heat shock proteins are also referred to as stress proteins. They can work as chaperone molecules, stabilising other proteins, helping to fold them and transport them across cell membranes. Some also bind to foreign antigens and present them to immune cells. Because heat shock proteins are produced by humans as well as bacteria, the immune system may not be able to differentiate between those from the body and those from invading pathogens. This can lead the immune system to launch an attack on its own proteins. "When this happens, white blood cells can build up in the tissues of the arteries, causing atherosclerosis," said Professor Seymour. "We found white blood cells called T cells in the lesions of arteries in patients affected by atherosclerosis. These T cells were able to bind to host heat shock proteins as well as those from bacteria that cause gum disease. This suggests that the similarity between the proteins could be the link between oral infection and atherosclerosis," said Professor Seymour. This molecular mimicry means that when the immune system reacts to oral infection, it also attacks host proteins, causing arterial disease. These findings could fundamentally change health policy, highlighting the importance of adult oral health to overall health and wellbeing: control of gum disease should be essential in reducing the risk of heart disease. "This is a significant step towards a more complete understanding of heart disease and improving treatment and preventive therapies," said Professor Seymour. "An understanding of all the possible risk factors could help lower the risk of developing heart disease and lead to a significant change in disease burden." Society for General Microbiology |
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| Related Gum Disease Current Events and Gum Disease News Articles Prevent periodontitis to reduce the risk of head and neck cancer Chronic periodontitis, a form of gum disease, is an independent risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This suggests the need for increased efforts to prevent and treat periodontitis as a possible means to reduce the risk of this form of cancer. AADR releases its statement on oral health care within health care reform On July 14, the American Association for Dental Research released its policy statement titled "Oral Health Care within Health Care Reform," which focuses on the scientific base of oral health and its associations to other aspects of health. Dry Mouth Linked to Prescription and Over the Counter Drugs Approximately ninety-one percent of dentists say patients complaining about dry mouth are taking multiple medications, according to a nationwide member survey conducted by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Oral/Body Inflammatory Connection Explained Is your head where your heart is? It may be now. A strong connection between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been suggested in recent clinical studies. Diets bad for the teeth are also bad for the body Dental disease may be a wake-up call that your diet is harming your body. Newly discovered reactions from an old drug may lead to new antibiotics A mineral found at health food stores could be the key to developing a new line of antibiotics for bacteria that commonly cause diarrhea, tooth decay and, in some severe cases, death. Treating gum disease helps rheumatoid arthritis sufferers People, who suffer from gum disease and also have a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis, reduced their arthritic pain, number of swollen joints and the degree of morning stiffness when they cured their dental problems. A healthy color About 80 percent of adults suffer from some form of periodontal, or gum disease, which can result in not just tooth loss, but has also been linked to heart disease, diabetes, blood infection, low birth-weight babies, cancer and most recently, obesity. Resolvins have the potential to resolve periodontal inflammation and restore tissue health Periodontal (gum) disease is a chronic inflammation initiated by bacteria that affect the gums and bone supporting the teeth, and may eventually result in tissue and tooth loss. Study finds new evidence of periodontal disease leading to gestational diabetes A new study by NYU dental researchers has uncovered evidence that pregnant women with periodontal (gum) disease face an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes even if they don't smoke or drink, a finding that underscores how important it is for all expectant mothers - even those without other risk factors - to maintain good oral health. More Gum Disease Current Events and Gum Disease News Articles |
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