Periodontal disease in its final outcome results in tooth
loss, which occurs due to the destruction of the bone as well as the connective
tissue, which act as a supportive element
for teeth. In this article we are
going to see the various complications of periodontal disease.
Bad breath is the most common problem that occurs due to the
periodontal disease. Bacteria and plaque
buildup are the major contributors to bad breath in this disease process.
The individuals who suffer from heart disease or stroke are
predisposed to higher risk of periodontal disease. There is a high risk for development of
periodontal disease in patients suffering from heart disease. The conditions such as acute coronary
syndrome, hypertension and high cholesterol are also linked with periodontal
disease.
A study was conducted in patients who had suffered from
heart attacks and it was found that in about 85% individuals there was evidence
of periodontal disease. Those
individuals who were suffering from hypertension were found to have damage
associated to the left side of the heart.
Researchers have conducted studies that suggest that an
inflammatory response triggered by periodontal disease causes injury to the
arteries. They further elaborated that this
inflammatory response is triggered by the immune system, which causes damage to
the body tissues.
The individuals who are suffering from heart disease and
periodontal disease both have high levels of CRP, C-reactive protein, which is
an inflammatory marker. This results in
the immune response, which results in the injuries to the blood vessels.
There are evidences to suggest that a bacteria, P.
gingivalis, is directly responsible for vascular damage.
There is new clinical evidence to suggest that periodontal
disease can either exacerbate diabetes and can also directly cause diabetes by
destroying the pancreatic cells responsible for the production of insulin. The bacteria causing periodontal disease when
enters into the blood stream causes the production of cytokines, which results
in the destruction of cells responsible for producing insulin.
In pregnant women, the periodontal disease increases the risks
of low birth weight infants or premature delivery.
Bacteria causing periodontal disease when invades the upper
respiratory tract causes respiratory infections , which seeps down into the
lungs and causes damage of lung tissue and causes respiratory problems such as
emphysema.
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