A study by Janket, et al, originally published in Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontics, analyzed several cohort studies on the relationship between periodontal disease and the risk for cardiovascular disease. The 9 cohort studies analyzed were published between 1980 and February 2001 and involved a cohort of 107,011 adults, 21 to 84 years of age, presenting 7,035 cardiovascular disease events. Periodontal disease was defined as gingivitis and periodontitis as measured by pocket depth and alveolar bone loss, with subdivisions of mild, moderate, and severe. The analysis found that periodontal disease increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by 19%, and increased the risk for fatal cardiac events and stroke.
(Source: Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2004)
