Poor Oral Health Possibly Linked to Cardiovascular Disease

Poor oral health has been thought to only affect the mouth. However, recent studies show there is a potential link between poor oral health and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, the connection between gingivitis infection and heart disease is still being discussed within the scientific community.

This is due to a discovery that the bacteria streptococcus sanguis, which causes the gingivitis gum disease in the mouth, can travel into blood vessels throughout the human body. The bacteria can potentially block these vessels and lead to blood clots, heart attack, and stroke.

Although there are other known factors that contribute to heart disease, including old age, poor diet and lifestyle, high blood pressure, and diabetes, the ongoing discussion that poor health is possibly linked to cardiovascular disease will be significant in the field of oral medicine and cardiovascular medicine.

Link Between Gingivitis and Heart Disease

An article surrounding the topic of the potential linkage between gingivitis and heart disease was posted on The Probe, the UK's oldest independent dental journal, by Anne Symons on Sunday, Feb. 27. Symons is a dental hygienist, a professional educator, and an oral health expert.

As part of the National Heart Month every February, the article compiled and correlated various studies relating to oral health and its connection to heart health. In the UK, heart health awareness and the need for further research are spearheaded by charities such as Heart Research UK.

Furthermore, the article highlighted that there is no final consensus yet regarding the topic but suggested further research is needed to holistically address the link between poor oral health and cardiovascular disease.

Related Theories

Previous studies have shown that people with poor oral health, including gum disease and tooth loss, have a higher risk for cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, according to Robert Shmerling, M.D. at Harvard University in his article published in Harvard Health Publishing on Apr. 22, 2021.

Shmerling included several related theories on gum disease and its connection to the heart. To answer the question of why is there a possible connection between oral health and cardiovascular disease, the Harvard article laid out three prevailing and relevant theories:

The first theory starts with the premise that the bacteria, which causes gingivitis and periodontitis, can also travel to blood vessels throughout the body, including to the heart, where they can cause blood vessel inflammation and artery damage.

The second theory rules out bacteria and instead blames the body's immune system response as responsible for the blood vessel inflammation. In addition, the theory adds a damaging domino effect of our immune system's response not only in our heart but also in the brain.

Lastly, the third theory suggests that there is no direct link between poor oral health and cardiovascular disease. However, the theory looks into lifestyle-related activities such as smoking and one's inability to live a healthy life to be the main factors of both affecting oral and heart health.