Latest news with #P.gingivalis
Epoch Times
15-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
Gum Disease Bacteria Carry Heart Risks, May Trigger Atrial Fibrillation
That nagging bleeding when you brush your teeth may not be just a dental problem—it could be endangering your heart. A new study suggests that the bacterium responsible for gingivitis may slip from infected gums into the bloodstream and infiltrate heart tissue, to increase the risk of irregular heart beats. Irregular heart beats are linked to increased risks of strokes and heart failure. How Gum Disease Attacks Your Heart The findings, recently published in the journal Researchers examined heart tissue from 68 human patients with AFib who had undergone heart surgery and found many of these patients had P. gingivalis in the left atrium of their heart, particularly in the hearts of those with severe gum disease. They also infected mice with P. gingivalis and subsequently found the bacteria inside their hearts as well. These mice were also six times more likely to develop abnormal heart rhythms, such as AFib, compared to mice that were not infected. Researchers pointed out that this study is the first showing clear evidence that P. gingivalis can enter the heart by bacteria leaving the mouth to enter the bloodstream. Related Stories 4/12/2024 2/3/2024 'The causal relationship between periodontitis and atrial fibrillation is still unknown, but the spread of periodontal bacteria through the bloodstream may connect these conditions,' study first author Shunsuke Miyauchi said in a P. gingivalis enters the blood stream via 'periodontal lesions and further translocates to the left atrium [of the heart],' Miyauchi added, noting that the more severe the periodontitis, the more bacteria were found in the heart. Once in the atrium, P. gingivalis can cause scar tissue formation in the heart, which increases the Afib risk, Miyauchi said. Therefore, he noted, periodontal treatment, which can block 'the gateway of P. gingivalis translocation,' may play an important role in AFib prevention and treatment. When the immune system fights gum infections, it releases chemicals that can leak into the blood and cause inflammation all over the body, harming organs including the heart. Harmful bacteria like P. gingivalis have been found in heart tissue, valves, and fatty plaques in arteries. Any bleeding in the gums is an indication of gingivitis, Dr. Jessica Pharar, a dentist and owner of Drs. Chin and Pharar Dentistry in Las Vegas, told The Epoch Times. 'If you see bright red angry looking gums, that is a good indication you are progressing more severe gingivitis,' she added. 'Patients who have other health issues, especially inflammatory diseases, are more prone to gingivitis,' Pharar said. 'Cleaning your mouth twice a day is imperative. Regular check ups at the dentist are essential to protect your overall dental health.' The Wider Impact of Gum Disease The researchers pointed out doctors have noticed for years that people with gum disease frequently have more heart problems and noted that a recent meta-analysis linked gum disease to a 30 percent higher chance of developing AFib. Globally, cases of AFib have 'The prevalence of gum disease continues to be an important public health problem in the United States as 2 in 5 adults are affected by some form of this disease,' Dr. Sandip Sachar, a dentist in New York City, told The Epoch Times. Untreated gum disease can impact overall health beyond just the heart. Pharar cautioned that wherever gingivitis bacteria settles, it can cause problems. Research has consistently linked chronic gum infections to a variety of systemic health Diabetes 'Gum disease and diabetes seem to have a bidirectional relationship,' Sachar said. 'Poor blood sugar control worsens gum disease, and untreated gum disease can increase blood sugar, complicating the overall management of diabetes.' Alzheimer's and Dementia Studies have shown a link between moderate or severe gum disease and an Other Conditions Some studies have linked gum disease to an increased risk of developing certain types of 'Gum disease has also been linked to rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory problems, liver disease, and adverse pregnancy outcomes,' Sachar said. 'Untreated gum disease has been associated with preterm birth and low birth weight. Inflammatory responses in the mouth can potentially affect fetal development.' 'Patients who get a joint replacement can infect their new joint if they don't have good dental health,' Pharar said. However, the condition can be prevented, treated, and even reversed by 'getting professional dental cleanings by a dentist at least twice a year, and maintaining gum health with brushing twice a day, and flossing daily,' Sachar added.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Heart rhythm disorder traces to bacterium lurking in gums: Study
Tokyo: New research shows that the gum disease bacterium P. gingivalis can slip into the bloodstream and infiltrate the heart. There, it quietly drives scar tissue buildup -- distorting the heart's architecture, disrupting electrical signals, and raising the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Clinicians have long noticed that people with periodontitis, a common form of gum disease, seem more prone to cardiovascular problems. One recent meta-analysis has linked it to a 30% higher risk of developing AFib, a potentially serious heart rhythm disorder that can lead to stroke, heart failure, and other life-threatening complications. Globally, AFib cases nearly doubled in under a decade, rising from 33.5 million in 2010 to roughly 60 million by 2019. Now, scientific curiosity is mounting in how gum disease might be contributing to that surge. Researchers have discovered DNA from harmful oral bacteria in heart muscle, valves, and even fatty arterial plaques. Among them, P. gingivalis has drawn particular scrutiny for its suspected role in a growing list of systemic diseases, including Alzheimer's, diabetes, and certain cancers. It has previously been detected in the brain, liver, and placenta. But how it manages to take hold in the heart has been unclear. This study, published in Circulation, provides the first clear evidence that P. gingivalis in the gums can worm its way into the left atrium in both animal models and humans, pointing to a potential microbial pathway linking periodontitis to AFib. "The causal relationship between periodontitis and atrial fibrillation is still unknown, but the spread of periodontal bacteria through the bloodstream may connect these conditions," said study first author Shunsuke Miyauchi, assistant professor at HU's Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences. "Among various periodontal bacteria, P. gingivalis is highly pathogenic to periodontitis and some systemic diseases outside the oral cavity. In this study, we have addressed these two key questions: Does P. gingivalis translocate to the left atrium from the periodontitis lesion? And if so, does it induce the progression of atrial fibrosis and AFib?" added Miyauchi. To simulate how P. gingivalis might escape the mouth and create problems elsewhere, researchers created a mouse model using the bacterium's aggressive W83 strain. They divided 13-week-old male mice into two groups: one had the strain introduced into the tooth pulp, the other remained uninfected. Each was further split into subgroups and observed for either 12 or 18 weeks to track the cardiovascular risks of prolonged exposure. Intracardiac stimulation -- a diagnostic technique for arrhythmia -- revealed no difference in AFib risk between infected and uninfected mice at 12 weeks. But by week 18, tests showed that mice exposed to the bacterium were six times more likely to develop abnormal heart rhythms, with a 30% AFib inducibility rate compared to just 5% in the control group. To see if their model accurately replicated periodontitis, the researchers examined jaw lesions and found its telltale signs. They detected tooth pulp decay and microabscesses caused by P. gingivalis. But the damage did not stop there. They also spotted the bacterium in the heart's left atrium, where infected tissue had turned stiff and fibrous. Using loop-mediated isothermal amplification to detect specific genetic signatures, the team confirmed that the P. gingivalis strain they had introduced was present in the heart. In contrast, the uninfected mice had healthy teeth and no trace of the bacterium in heart tissue samples. Twelve weeks after infection, mice exposed to P. gingivalis already showed more heart scarring than their uninfected counterparts. At 18 weeks, scarring in the infected mice had climbed to 21.9% compared to the likely ageing-related 16.3% in the control group, suggesting that P. gingivalis may not just trigger early heart damage, but also speed it up over time. And this troubling connection was not only seen in mice. In a separate human study, researchers analysed left atrial tissue from 68 AFib patients who underwent heart surgery. P. gingivalis was found there, too, and in greater amounts in people with severe gum disease. (ANI)
Telegraph
23-02-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Five surprising health benefits of flossing every morning
If you brush your teeth morning and night, you probably think your oral health is in pretty good nick. But skipping the extra step of flossing – something only three in 10 people in the UK do daily – could not only leave you at risk of cavities, gum disease and loose teeth, but also chronic health problems such as heart disease, dementia and Type 2 diabetes. That's because a slimy biofilm is constantly trying to grow on our teeth, explains Morag Powell, a hygienist, dental therapist and lecturer at the University of Plymouth. Brushing your teeth twice a day will remove this substance from the outside and inside of the teeth but not from that hard-to-reach surface between the teeth. If left to grow and mature in these gaps, the biofilm may eventually trigger gum disease – when the gums become swollen, red, sore and bleed. But the inflammation doesn't stop there – it spreads throughout the rest of the body as well, Powell says. Some people can't comprehend the links between gum and overall health, says Dr Zoe Brookes, an associate professor of dental education and research at the University of Plymouth. 'But imagine having an infected wound the size of your palm,' she says. 'That's how big the infection is if you've got gum disease. That's going to be affecting your whole body as well.' 'I've spent a lifetime trying to increase awareness of the value and importance of cleaning between the teeth and that's what [all dentists] need to do, so patients are more inclined to do it,' says Powell. Simply flossing for a few minutes a day will not only keep you in your dentists' good books but also help you to dodge an array of health problems. Here's how. 1. Flossing every day will lower your risk of stroke Flossing just once a week cuts the risk of having a stroke by 44 per cent, according to one recent paper from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Scientists looked at the health records of more than 6,000 people and found that those who flossed weekly were also 12 per cent less likely to develop atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat). The experts believe their findings may be down to flossing reducing the chance of oral infections and lowering inflammation in the body, which in turn reduces the risk of suffering a stroke and heart problems. 'We know that people who have gum disease are more likely to have cardiovascular disease,' says Brookes. As well as inflammation in the mouth causing problems for the heart, it could also be that the bacteria that infects unhealthy gums travels to the blood vessels, she notes. For example, Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a bacteria that drives gum disease, has been detected in atherosclerotic plaques (a build-up of fats in the artery walls), which suggests a causal link between gum and poor heart health, Brookes explains. 2. It will help protect your brain health A recent study from the University of Exeter linked the presence of P. gingivalis in the mouth – the bacteria known to fuel gum disease – with a decline in brain function. The team, who analysed saliva samples from 115 people aged over 50, found that P. gingivalis was more common in people with memory problems. Another family of bacteria linked to poor oral health, called Prevotella was also linked to poor brain health. Keeping teeth clean – through brushing and flossing – is key for protecting brain health, the scientists concluded. A separate paper, from a team at Tohoku University in Japan, found people with gum disease and tooth loss had shrinking in the hippocampus (part of the brain critical for memory and learning). The researchers said their findings should encourage people to take better care of their teeth. 3. It reduces your risk of rheumatoid arthritis Doctors know that rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the immune system going into overdrive and mistakenly attacking the cells that line the joints. Research suggests that flare-ups in the condition – causing swollen, stiff and painful joints – may be caused by gum disease. A study from The Rockefeller University suggests that bacteria present in the mouth of patients with gum disease can leak through the gums, into the bloodstream and activate the immune system, causing arthritis symptoms to worsen. 'It does make sense,' says Brookes. 'In rheumatoid arthritis, there's an antibody – citrullinated proteins – that initiates an immune response. There could be an indirect link between gum disease and the activation of this antibody, which then goes on to affect the joints,' she explains. 4. Flossing regularly could lower your pancreatic cancer risk Maintaining good oral health has been linked to a lower risk of pancreatic cancer. That's according to a study from NYU Langone Medical Center. Researchers compared saliva samples from 720 people, half of whom later develop pancreatic cancer. Results showed that those with high levels of P. gingivalis had a 59 per cent higher risk of developing the cancer. Explaining their findings, the scientist suggested that the inflammation caused by P. gingivalis may have caused inflammation in the pancreas which led to cancer, or that the bacteria may have been a signal of cancer-causing inflammation. 'The links between cancer and gum disease is a more controversial area,' Brookes notes. There have been some individual studies showing a connection but association has not been the subject of a systemic review, she says. 5. Slashes Type 2 diabetes risk 'Poor oral health has been linked with Type 2 diabetes,' Brookes notes. That's because having gum disease is known to increase blood sugar levels, which in turn increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Additionally, gum disease triggers inflammation throughout the body, which is another risk factor for the condition. People who have type 2 diabetes are also at greater risk of gum disease, as they have a more aggressive inflammatory response to the bacteria in their mouth, she says. 'There's a bit of a chicken and egg – gum disease might cause diabetes but diabetes actually might make gum disease worse as well.' How to floss and use interdental brushes Flossing
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Cause of Alzheimer's Might Be Coming From Inside Your Mouth
In recent years, a growing number of scientific studies have backed an alarming hypothesis: Alzheimer's disease isn't just a disease, it's an infection. While the exact mechanisms of this infection are something researchers are still trying to isolate, numerous studies suggest the deadly spread of Alzheimer's goes way beyond what we used to think. One such study, published in 2019, suggested what could be one of the most definitive leads yet for a bacterial culprit behind Alzheimer's, and it comes from a somewhat unexpected quarter: gum disease. In a paper led by senior author Jan Potempa, a microbiologist from the University of Louisville, researchers reported the discovery of Porphyromonas gingivalis – the pathogen behind chronic periodontitis (aka gum disease) – in the brains of deceased Alzheimer's patients. P. gingivalis' gingipains (red) among neurons in the brain of a patient with Alzheimer's. (Cortexyme) It wasn't the first time the two factors have been linked, but the researchers went further. In separate experiments with mice, oral infection with the pathogen led to brain colonization by the bacteria, together with increased production of amyloid beta (Aβ), the sticky proteins commonly associated with Alzheimer's. The research team, coordinated by pharma startup Cortexyme, which was co-founded by first author Stephen Dominy, wasn't claiming to have discovered definitive evidence of Alzheimer's causation. But it was clear they thought we had a strong line of investigation here. "Infectious agents have been implicated in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease before, but the evidence of causation hasn't been convincing," Dominy said at the time. "Now, for the first time, we have solid evidence connecting the intracellular, Gram-negative pathogen, P. gingivalis, and Alzheimer's pathogenesis." In addition, the team identified toxic enzymes called gingipains secreted by the bacteria in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, which correlated with two separate markers of the disease: the tau protein, and a protein tag called ubiquitin. But even more compellingly, the team identified these toxic gingipains in the brains of deceased people who were never diagnosed with Alzheimer's. That's important, because while P. gingivalis and the disease have been linked before, it's never been known – to put it simply – whether gum disease causes Alzheimers, or whether dementia leads to poor oral care. The fact that low levels of gingipains were evident even in people who were never diagnosed with Alzheimer's could be a smoking gun – suggesting they might have developed the condition if they had lived longer. "Our identification of gingipain antigens in the brains of individuals with AD and also with AD pathology but no diagnosis of dementia argues that brain infection with P. gingivalis is not a result of poor dental care following the onset of dementia or a consequence of late-stage disease, but is an early event that can explain the pathology found in middle-aged individuals before cognitive decline," the authors explained in their paper. Further, a compound formulated by the company called COR388, showed in experiments with mice that it could reduce bacterial load of an established P. gingivalis brain infection, while also reducing amyloid-beta production and neuroinflammation. We'll have to wait and see what future research will uncover about this link, but the research community is cautiously optimistic. "Drugs targeting the bacteria's toxic proteins have so far only shown benefit in mice, yet with no new dementia treatments in over 15 years it's important that we test as many approaches as possible to tackle diseases like Alzheimer's," chief scientific officer David Reynolds from Alzheimer's Research commented in a statement. The findings were reported in Science Advances. An earlier version of this story was published in January 2019. Your Scented Wax Melts Can Pollute Indoor Air as Much as a Diesel Engine Your Takeaway Food Packaging Could Increase Your Risk of Heart Failure Study Reveals How This Artificial Sweetener May Cause Heart Damage
