The results of two studies conducted by employees of the neurology department of the School of Medicine at the University of South Carolina (USA) will be presented during a large international conference on stroke, which will be held in Los Angeles from February 19 to 21.
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At the heart of diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis, periodontitis, poor oral hygiene and the formation of microbial plaque on the teeth. This leads to the development of a bacterial infection and inflammation of the gums, other soft and hard tissues and structures surrounding and supporting the teeth. Since chronic inflammation plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis (a decrease in the elasticity and patency of blood vessels), the researchers decided to find out whether inflammatory gum diseases are associated with an increased risk of clogging of the large arteries that feed the brain, and cerebrovascular accident. 265 stroke patients between 2015 and 2017. Researchers were primarily interested in whether these people suffered from any kind of gum disease.
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An analysis of the information collected showed that among patients with chronic inflammation in the oral cavity, acute cerebrovascular accident (stroke) due to atherosclerosis of large arteries is twice as common as in people with healthy gums.
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At the same time, among patients with gingivitis, periodontitis or periodontitis, stroke is three times more common, affecting the blood vessels that control vision, coordination of movements and other vital functions of the body.
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In a second study, scientists evaluated the degree of development of atherosclerosis of the large cerebral arteries in more than a thousand elderly men and women who have not yet had a stroke. To do this, the researchers analyzed the results of a magnetic resonance imaging of the brain twice conducted for each of these people. The results of the scan were compared with the data on the state of the oral cavity of the study participants.
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It turned out that in patients with gingivitis (gum disease that has not yet touched deeper tissues and structures), the risk of serious narrowing of the lumen of the cerebral arteries (by 50% or more) is more than twice as high as in people with healthy gums. In the future, researchers plan to check whether the treatment of inflammatory gum disease leads to a reduction in the risk of stroke.
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