People with gum disease are more likely to experience hypertension

13:08   26 September, 2019

Researchers from the UK found that people with periodontitis run the risk of facing another problem: high blood pressure, Science Daily reported.

Moreover, according to various sources, hypertension affects 30-45% of adults. With periodontitis, more than 50% of the world's population faces. We are talking about inflammation of periodontal - bone tissue at the root of the tooth (periodontitis should not be confused with periodontitis). Such an inflammatory process destroys the near-root tissue of the gums and the outer layers of the roots of the teeth, and is also accompanied by the release of pus and bleeding, and as a result of severe pain.

Although these two states may seem completely unrelated to each other, experts previously suggested that there is still a connection.

"Hypertension could be the driver of heart attack and stroke in patients with periodontitis," said Senior author Professor Francesco D'Aiuto of UCL Eastman Dental Institute, UK. "Previous research suggests a connection between periodontitis and hypertension and that dental treatment might improve blood pressure, but to date the findings are inconclusive."

As part of a recent work, the researchers conducted a meta-analysis that used data from 81 scientific papers from scientists in 26 countries. It turned out that the average blood pressure, as a rule, is significantly higher in people with periodontitis.

Usually two blood pressure values ​​are measured. Systolic, or upper, pressure shows the load on the vessels at the moment when the ventricles of the heart contract and expel the blood. The lower indicator, or diastolic pressure, shows the pressure in the arteries at the time of relaxation of the heart muscle. Both indicators are traditionally measured in millimeters of mercury.

Both systolic pressure and diastolic pressure were respectively 4.5 millimeters of mercury and 2 millimeters of mercury higher in patients with gum disease.

Moreover, the periodontitis stage also plays a significant role. It turned out that average periodontitis increases the risk of an increase in blood pressure by 22%, and severe - by 49%.

So far, researchers cannot say whether treatment for periodontitis can lower blood pressure. Only five of the 12 interventional studies included in the review showed that treatment for gum disease can lower blood pressure. In this case, changes have occurred even in people with normal blood pressure.

However, experts point out the importance of future research in this area in order to get an accurate answer.

As for the potential causes of such an unusual connection, scientists suggest that bacteria of the oral cavity play a role here. Gum disease and associated bacteria lead to inflammation throughout the body, which can affect the function of blood vessels.

But other factors can play a role: genetic predisposition, smoking and obesity.



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