It’s official oral hygiene contributes to heart health.
Experts from the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and the World Heart Foundation (WHF) met in Madrid this February at a joint Periodontics and Cardio workshop. The purpose of this was to study the evidence linking Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and Periodontitis. The aim was to make recommendations for both health professionals and patients.
Four key areas were discussed:
- Epidemiological evidence linking periodontitis and CVD’s
- Biological mechanisms for the increased risk of atherosclerosis in patients with periodontitis
- The effect of periodontal treatment on the risk of atherosclerosis
- The potential cardiovascular risks of oral interventions
Essentially, it was agreed that good oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist can support cardiovascular health. The EFP and WHF plan to publish their recommendations in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology and in addition, a project to raise awareness about the essential role of oral health in reducing the risks of heart disease is being developed. In the mean time if you want to learn more about good Oral Health you can read some of our blog articles here…