[Correlations between dental-oral infections and cardiovascular disease]

Abstract

The potential role of periodontal disease, gingivitis and other dental infections as a possible chronic source of infection and inflammation represents a continuous challenge to the host organism. The high number of oral pathogens, lipopolysaccharides and soluble mediators are related to the pathogenesis of local inflammation and the initiation of systemic inflammation process, which may impair systemic health. In the last decades, studies suggested that there could be a connection between the local oral infections and several systemic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, low birth weight and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the last century. The primary contributing factor in the majority of cardiovascular diseases is atherosclerosis. The role of infection is believed to provide a critical inflammatory stimulus that contributes to atherogenesis. The present review is a short summary of studies of the last years about the possible pathogenic role of local oral infections as a contributing factor in the initiation and progression of cardiovascular disease.