Periodontal Disease Accelerates Age Related Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction
Aging impairs coronary endothelial function through reduced nitric oxide availability and increased inflammation, effects that are worsened by periodontal disease (PD). In rats, PD further disrupts gut microbiota, increasing pathogenic bacteria and decreasing beneficial taxa, which correlates with vascular dysfunction and inflammatory markers. Supplementation with the prebiotic beta-glucan partially restores gut microbial balance, reduces inflammation, prevents alveolar bone loss, and improves coronary endothelial function. These findings suggest that gut microbiota dysbiosis links aging and PD to cardiovascular dysfunction, and that beta-glucan may be a promising dietary strategy to mitigate these effects.