“…Several studies support an association between periodontal disease and risk of chronic systemic conditions, including vascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancer, including gastric adenocarcinoma. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 These associations may be mediated by systemic inflammation, the immune response to periodontal infection, or direct invasion by pathogens. Previous studies of periodontal disease and risk of peptic ulcer have been limited by cross-sectional design, diagnoses that were not confirmed by medical record review, and a lack of information on key confounders, including smoking, aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, socioeconomic status, and Helicobacter pylori infection status.…”