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According to researchers, periodontitis could promote the occurrence of fibrosis and atrial fibrillation, a form of irregular heartbeat.
But it could also be the cause of heart problems according to a new study, published in the journal JACC Clinical Electrophysiology.
Periodontitis linked to higher risk of atrial fibrillation
Periodontitis affects between 20% and 50% of adults in industrialized countries. This inflammatory disease of infectious origin is known to gradually destroy the supporting tissues of the tooth. If left untreated, it can lead to loosening and loss of teeth.
But beyond its dental impact, periodontitis could be linked to heart problems.
“Periodontitis is associated with inflammation [présente depuis longtemps] and inflammation plays a key role in the progression of atrial fibrosis and fibrillation.”explains Shunsuke Miyauchi, one of the authors, in a communicated. “We hypothesized that periodontitis promotes fibrosis.”
Fibrosis is scarring of the left atrial appendage which can cause an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation which increases the risk of stroke. The known risk factors for this disease are age, obesity, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, sleep apnea, smoking…
To verify their hypothesis, the scientists observed the health profile of 76 participants with cardiovascular disease. To do this, they analyzed tissue samples from the candidates’ AAGs.
Conclusion ? When periodontitis was advanced, so was atrial fibrosis (the increase in connective tissue of an organ).
Take care of your teeth to preserve your heart
For the researchers, there is no doubt: the inflammation of the gums therefore indeed promotes the appearance of atrial fibrillation.
“This study provides evidence that periodontitis can worsen fibrosis and be a new risk factor for atrial fibrillation”, says Yukiko Nakano, one of the authors.
According to Nakano, in addition to improving other risk factors such as weight, activity levels, tobacco and alcohol consumption, periodontal care could contribute to the overall management of atrial fibrillation. However, this study did not establish a causal relationship, which means that while the degrees of severity of gum disease and ear fibrosis appear to be related, the researchers did not find that one definitely leads to the ‘other.
This is the next step for researchers. Of the “Further evidence is needed to establish that periodontitis causally contributes to atrial fibrosis and that periodontal care can modify fibrosis. One of our goals is to confirm that periodontitis is a modifiable risk factor for atrial fibrillation and [d’inclure les dentistes] in the comprehensive management of atrial fibrillation. Periodontitis is a modifiable risk factor (…) for atrial fibrillation“. But without waiting for their conclusions, you can already take care of your gums!