New study reveals periodontal disease pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis

A study recently published in the July 10 issue of PLOS Pathogens shows how the periodontal disease pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis evades the immune system to cause inflammation of the gums even beyond the oral cavity. This inflammation is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, highlighting further the oral-systemic link.
July 21, 2014
2 min read
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A study recently published in PLOSPathogens shows how the periodontal disease pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis evades the immune system to cause inflammation of the gums even beyond the oral cavity. This inflammation is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, highlighting further the oral-systemic link.

From an article in ScienceDaily dated July 10, 2014 …

“P. gingivalis can produce a number of different lipid A versions, and the researchers wanted to clarify how these modify the immune response and contribute to the ability of the pathogen to survive and cause inflammation — both locally, resulting in oral bone loss, and systemically, in distant blood vessels.”

The researchers (from Boston University School of Medicine in collaboration with Richard Darveau, at the University of Washington School of Dentistry) conclude, "P. gingivalis modifies its lipid A structure in order to evade host defenses and establish chronic infection leading to persistent systemic low-grade inflammation … P. gingivalis evasion of TLR4-mediated host immunity results in progression of inflammation at a site that is distant from local infection by gaining access to the vasculature."

Read the abstract from PLOS Pathogens. Periodontal disease remains top in the minds of researchers with regard to its tie to overall health. Links between periodontal disease and diabetes, stress, Alzheimer's, atherosclerosis, and other oral-systemic dieases are ongoing. While bacteria is a major cause of tooth decay, the far-reaching, negative effects of periodontal disease on the rest of the body are still being discovered. As these links surface, communication between the fields of medicine and dentistry will be ever more important.
Vickicheeseman2014
Vicki Cheeseman is an associate editor in PennWell’s Dental Division. She edits for DentistryIQ.com, Surgical-Restorative Resource, Dental Economics, DE’s ENDO File, Bracing for Success, and RDH. Follow her on Twitter @vlcheeseman or contact her by email at [email protected].

ADDITIONAL READING …
Addressing perio-systemic links
More news on the oral-systemic link
It's the bugs
A new tool in the fight against peri-implant disease
Could stress be linked to periodontal disease?

About the Author

Vicki Cheeseman
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Vicki Cheeseman

Associate Editor

Vicki Cheeseman is an associate editor in Endeavor Business Media’s Dental Group. She edits for Dental Economics, RDH, DentistryIQ, and Perio-Implant Advisory. She has a BS in mathematics and a minor in computer science. Early on she traded numbers for words and has been happy ever since. Vicki began her career with Dental Economics in 1987 and has been fascinated with how much media production has changed through the years, yet editorial integrity remains the goal. In her spare time, you’ll find her curled up with a book—editor by day, reader always.

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