Periodontitis in cardiology--a clinical perspective.

The association between ischemic cardiovascular disease and infectious disease is very dubious, and evidence points in several directions. Chronic periodontitis has been proposed as a potential risk factor based on many studies. A review of these studies demonstrates that the majority of them are retrospective epidemiological studies and therefore of little value in determining a possible association. New data seems to indicate an association between atherosclerosis and alveolar bone loss, thus indicating that a long-standing burden of infection is related to the slow process of atherosclerosis plaque buildup. Future secondary prevention studies will have to be performed to determine if periodontal therapy intervention results in decreased cardiovascular mortality or morbidity, proving a strong association between the two diseases.