Saturday, July 18, 2015

New study shows link between gum disease and heart disease

A new study helps explain why a cleaner mouth could mean a healthier heart. New research from the University of Alberta shows that how clean you keep your mouth may affect your chances of developing heart disease. “A lot of people don’t realize oral health impacts the entire body,” says Maria Febbraio, foundational science researcher in the U of A’s School of Dentistry and author of the new study, published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. Her findings add to existing research showing that patients with untreated periodontal disease are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Using preclinical models, Febbraio identified a new receptor on cells, CD36, that interacts with bacteria in the mouth causing periodontal disease. CD36 interacts with toll–like receptors – the immune system's early–warning sentinels against infection – to produce a protein called interleukin–1 beta, or IL1B. The IL1B then increases inflammation, which plays a role in both periodontal disease and atherosclerosis – providing a direct link between the two diseases.