title: Cardiovascular disease and periodontal diseases: commonality and causation.
abstract: Periodontal diseases have long been recognized as a public health problem. Awareness of the destructive nature of periodontal diseases and the importance of a tight control of bacterial plaque are basic concepts of periodontal treatment. In the past decade, there has been a conceptual shift from periodontal diseases as an oral problem to periodontitis having an impact on systemic health. Recent evidence suggests a strong relationship between periodontal inflammatory disease and systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. It is now generally accepted that inflammation plays an important role in atherosclerosis, and factors that systemically amplify inflammation are under close investigation. This article reviews some of the emerging concepts for the inflammatory mechanisms of periodontal diseases and atherosclerosis and examines the potential role of local inflammation in systemic inflammatory disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Oral Biology, Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Sheilesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dave
authors.forename: Eraldo L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Van Dyke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D005491:Focal Infection, Dental / Q000503:physiopathology; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein