Gum Disease (Periodontitis) Linked to Increased Stroke Risk in Men
Younger men with periodontitis, also known as inflammation of the gums, are more likely to suffer a stroke than those who do not have the condition, new medical research has found.
In a new study, researchers found a link between the life-threatening cardiovascular disease – specifically ischemic stroke — and bone loss caused by periodontitis. Men under age 65 who have the gum disease were most at risk of suffering a stroke compared to older men, the findings concluded.
Periodontitis is caused when bacteria begin to grow the surface of teeth. Gingivitis can be a precursor to a diagnosis of periodontitis, which over time can cause severe bone loss below the gum line and even the loss of teeth.
Researchers led by the University of Birmingham School of Dentistry in England and the Boston University School of Dental Medicine focused on data from 1,137 men who participated in the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging and Dental Longitudinal Study in Boston. Study participants were given full-mouth X-rays and periodontal analysis on every tooth every three years for an average time of 24 years.
The result of the study was men with periodontal bone loss were associated with an increased incidence of stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases. Hypertension is the most common type of cerebrovascular disease, which is the name for a group of dysfunctions which are related to diseases of blood vessels supplying the brain.
The study findings are published in the Annals of Neurology.
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