Latest news with #ShunsukeMiyauchi
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)
