No abstract

Background: Periodontitis is an infectious chronic insidious disease of the tooth supporting structures that causes a general inflammatory response. The aims of the study were to determine whether periodontitis is associated with markers of general inflammation high-sensitivity (hs) C-reactive protien (CRP) leading to cardiovascular disease, and whether proper management of the periodontal disease would improve inflammation and thus, may prevent cardiovascular disease in the future. Methods: This was a prospective case-controlled pilot study. Nine patients (3 women, 6 men; 40±5 yr) took part. All had severe periodontitis, without systemic disorders, and were all treated conservativelly without surgical intervention. All had a 2nd visit after 3 months of treatment at the Outpatient Dental Clinic of the Hospital. Periodontal status and hs-CRP were evaluated on entry to the study and 3 months after treatment. Nine age and sex-matched healthy volunteers without periodontal disease served as the control group. Results: Periodontal clinical parameters were improved after 3 months' treatment: probing depth (PD) (mean) at baseline was 4.3 and after 3 months’ treatment improved to 3.2 (P=0.001), clinical attachment level (CAL) (mean) was 4.6 and changed to 3.7 (P=0.01), bleeding on probing (BOP %) changed from 64% to 33% (P=0.001), and Plaque index (Pi) changed from 49% to 25% (P=0.001). hs-CRP level was different between the patients’group (pre treatment) and the healthy volunteers: 2.97±0.58 mg/L vs. 0.25±0.14 mg/L (P=0.00002). After completing 3 months' treatment, hs-CRP levels were decreased from 2.97±0.58 mg/L to 2.3±0.7 mg/L (P=0.009). Conclusions: Periodontitis is an infectious condition that may be an insidious cause of chronic inflammation and may be a risk factor for future cardiovascular disease. Treating periodontitis improved inflammation, and might be used as an important prevention tool for cardiovascular disease.

Salivary composition reflects disease severity and response to therapy, suggesting the efficacy of saliva monitoring for periodontal disease status and care.

No abstract

No abstract