Gum Disease and Heart Disease Association Revealed
Posted by ianhealth on May 27, 2009
The association between gum disease (periodontitis) and coronary heart disease (CHD) has been known for years, but a genetic link between the conditions hadn’t been confirmed until now. German scientists at the University of Kiel found that the two diseases share a genetic variant on chromosome 9. This discovery helps explain association between the two illnesses. Dr. Arne Schaefer and his colleagues verified this genetic association in groups of 180 periodontitis patients and 1,100 CHD patients. “We think that periodontitis should be taken very seriously by dentists and diagnosed and treated as early as possible,” Schaefer said. He further noted that periodontitis and CHD share risk factors such as smoking, diabetes and obesity.
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