Periodontitis, a gum disease, can cause dental problems ranging from bad breath to bleeding and tooth decay. Now, researchers at Hiroshima University have found that it may be linked to even more serious problems elsewhere in the body – the heart. In a study published in ‘JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology’, the team found a significant correlation between periodontitis and fibrosis – scarring in the appendage of the heart’s left atrium that can cause an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation -76 Heart disease in a sample of patients.
“Periodontitis is associated with long-standing inflammation, and inflammation plays an important role in atrial fibrosis progression and atrial fibrillation pathogenesis,” said first author Shunsuke Miyauchi, assistant professor at Hiroshima University Health Services Center. He is also affiliated with the University’s Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences. “We hypothesized that periodontitis exacerbates atrial fibrosis. This histological study of left atrial appendages aimed to clarify the relationship between clinical periodontitis status and the degree of atrial fibrosis.”
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Left atrial appendages were surgically removed from the patients, and the researchers analyzed the tissue to establish a correlation between the severity of atrial fibrillation and the severity of gum disease. They found that the worse the periodontitis, the worse the fibrosis, suggesting that gingivitis may accelerate inflammation and disease in the heart. Corresponding author Yukiko Nakano, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Hiroshima University’s Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, said, “This study provides basic evidence that periodontitis may exacerbate atrial fibrosis and be a novel modifiable risk factor for atrial fibrillation.” could.”
According to Nakano, periodontal care can aid in comprehensive atrial fibrillation management, in addition to addressing other risk factors such as weight, activity levels, and tobacco and alcohol use. However, she cautioned that this study did not establish a causal relationship, meaning that while gum disease and the degree of atrial fibrosis severity appear to be linked, the researchers have not found that one definitely causes the other. Leads to. “Further evidence is needed to establish that periodontitis contributes to atrial fibrosis in a causal manner and that periodontal care may reverse fibrosis,” Nakano said.
“One of our goals is to confirm that periodontitis is a modifiable risk factor for atrial fibrillation and to promote the involvement of dental specialists in comprehensive atrial fibrillation management. Periodontitis is a low-cost easily modifiable risk factor among known atrial fibrillation risk factors.” is the goal. Thus, the achievement of this study series can bring benefits to many people across the world.
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