Periodontal disease affects 80% of those over 35 years and can cause a long list of diseases, including diabetes, stroke and pregnancy complications.
Having bacteria in the mouth means opening the doors of the organism to periodontal disease, according to the scientific consensus, are directly related to conditions such as diabetes, pregnancy complications, cardiovascular problems and even cancer.
This was stated Iain Chapple, School-Birmingham Dental Hospital (United Kingdom), one of the experts who participated in the international summit organized by the European Federation of Periodontology, the American Academy of Periodontology and the Spanish Society of Periodontology ( SEPA).
Periodontal disease such as gingivitis or periodontitis, are caused by bacteria, are inflammatory and affect the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth in the jaws. Eight in 10 people over 35 years suffer periodontal disease.
Scientific studies show that "millions" of bacteria existing in the mouth may result in chronic inflammation becomes systemic, infecting and damaging other parts of the body.
A threat to the heart
Professor Mariano Sanz, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University Complutense of Madrid, said the ailments that affect the gums are a risk factor for coronary events, "some so severe that they can reach compromise survival the patient, such as myocardial infarction ".
"Those who suffer from some form of gum disease have a risk between 25% and 50% higher of developing a cardiovascular disorder that whoever is healthy," he said. In fact, he recalled that the American Heart Association, in a consensus document, established the recommendation of oral care as most of the strategies for the prevention of ischemic heart disease.
The dreaded diabetes
Héctor Juan Rodriguez-Casanova, Doctor of Dentistry specialist in Periodontics from the University of Texas-Houston (USA), told Efe that the association between periodontal disease and diabetes is "bidirectional".
"Not only diabetes increases the risk of periodontal disease, but it may alter glycemic control," he said. Therefore, dental visits provide a unique opportunity to fight diabetes, since early identification help these patients, many of whom are unaware of their condition.
Pregnancies at risk
Dr. John White, trustee of the Foundation SEPA and professor of periodontology at the University of Santiago de Compostela, explained that pregnant women with periodontitis have "twice the risk of preterm delivery."
It is estimated that almost half of all premature births, periodontal disease of the mother would be one of the risk factors involved.
Chapple concluded that there are important new areas of research linking cancer with oral infections and also with reumantoidea arthritis, renal and lung infections.
All experts agree that prevention, oral hygiene and dental checkups are the weapons to fight infections that continuously and silently become more diseases door let into the body.