Oral Health and Coronary Artery Disease, A Review Article

Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Various risk factors have been identified for atherosclerosis. Recently, bacterial and viral organisms, which are involved in chronic inflammatory processes, have been also implicated in atherosclerosis development. Individuals with a prior history of periodontal diseases and/or tooth loss are considered to be at a higher risk for peripheral arterial disease, compared to those without periodontal diseases or tooth loss. Evidence suggests that periodontitis contributes to the overall burden of infection and inflammation and may lead to cardiovascular events and stroke in susceptible patients. In this article, we aimed to review the available data on the relationship between periodontal diseases and cardiovascular diseases, especially coronary artery disease. At least sixty papers were reviewed during 2014-15. Of these, 44 were included in our study.