Is There a Connection Between Gum Disease and an Increased Risk of a Stroke in Younger People?

New research has looked to see if a connection exists between Gum Disease and an increased risk of a Stroke in younger people. There have been a rising number of younger people having strokes in recent years. Now, researchers have been looking to see if oral health problems may have been contributing to this issue.

Recent research has looked into a possible connection between Periodontitis – a severe form of gum disease – and having a stroke, specifically in those aged under 50 [1].

Strokes normally affect older people, but they can impact younger people too. The researchers sought to find out if periodontitis can contribute to strokes taking place.

The health of our gums is crucial, but many suffer with gum disease. Therefore, any research into this topic is highly-valued.

Background

This research involved looking at periodontitis and strokes. As mentioned, periodontitis is the most severe form of gum disease, which is a very common condition.

Periodontitis involves swollen and inflamed gums, and over time can result in the teeth pulling away from the gums.

Periodontitis destroys supporting dental tissues, which worsens the state of oral health. If left untreated, gum disease can result in tooth loss.

Meanwhile, a stroke is a serious life-threatening medical condition that happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off [2].

A stroke is a medical emergency that requires urgent treatment. If left untreated, a person can sadly die. They are often caused by a blood clot, which itself is linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, irregular heartbeats and diabetes [2].

Past research has shown a connection between oral health and strokes [3]. However, this research focused on an older group of participants. This research looks at those aged under 50.

The Research

The research was conducted by researchers at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Their findings have been published in the Journal of Dental Research [1].

The researchers created a study that surveyed inflammatory changes associated with periodontitis, along with recently completed dental procedures in young stroke patients.

The particular focus was on individuals that had experienced a stroke between the ages of 20 and 50 – without any of the known causes of a stroke being present.

In total, 146 people, with a median age of 41.9, were enrolled into the study. These 146 people were in two groups. One group had experienced a stroke between the age of 20 and 49. The other group were healthy – without having had a stroke before [1].

Oral examinations were performed, and various acid levels were taken. This allowed the team to be able to make a diagnosis on if the participant had periodontitis [1].

Following the examinations, the team completed multivariate conditional regression models, which allowed for various factors to be taken into account – including stroke risk factors [1].

Periodontitis was diagnosed in 27.5% of the group that had experienced a stroke. Meanwhile, in the healthy control group, 20.1% of the group were diagnosed [1].

This means that periodontitis is significantly more common among stroke patients compared to those in the healthy control group [1]. Therefore, the risk of a stroke does indeed seem to be higher for those with periodontitis.

The researchers also found out that interestingly, the results showed that in the three months after a dental procedure has been carried out, a person is most at risk of a stroke [1].

In fact, the researchers found out that the more inflammation has progressed in the mouth, the higher the chance there was of a stroke taking place [1].

Summary

Overall, the study found that there is a significant increase in the risk of a stroke in those aged under 50 that have periodontitis, and seemingly no predisposing causes [1].

One of the potential causes of this is that periodontitis results in harmful oral bacteria multiplying in the mouth and then entering the bloodstream – causing inflammation to worsen.

Therefore, this leads to a vicious cycle where bacteria are nourished by the tissue destroyed by inflammation. Then, their reproduction accelerates the inflammation – worsening the situation [1].

The rising number of strokes in younger people is certainly an issue. Research author Jukka Putaala says that “the incidence of such strokes has been on the rise in recent decades” [4].

It is important for inflammation to be looked at regularly. Another author – Susanna Paju – says that “bad teeth should be removed and inflammation treated, in addition to which teeth should be checked on a regular basis” [4].

This research underlines the potential damage of periodontitis. Looking after our gums is crucial, and can aid both our oral and physical health.

Thinking points…

1) One of the issues with gum disease is that it develops over a long period of time. It needs to be caught early to be addressed quickly. Therefore, remember to attend a dental clinic on a regular basis, as a dentist can track any development of gum disease and provide advice to stop it getting worse. You should attend at least twice a year. We recommend booking a check-up now!

2) As discussed earlier, gum disease is a very common condition. Unfortunately, there is no “cure” for it, but treatment can help lessen problems. For example, root planing and scaling are two ways of aiding your gums. When you next see your dentist, you could mention any concerns about your gums to them. They will be able to take a look and provide advice.

What we offer at Savanna Dental

Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We provide our patients with a range of treatment options and advice, with the aim of improving oral health and boosting overall wellbeing!

We advise our patients to attend our Calgary-based dental clinic twice a year for a dental check-up. If any problems are detected, we have many treatments available. For instance, these include cavity fillings and root canals. To try and prevent problems, it is important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.

Here at Savanna Dental, we also have some cosmetic treatments available! These include dental implants, tooth whitening and Invisalign™! Our patients find that these treatments have a positive impact on their appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

In addition, the fees of our services at our Calgary dental clinic Savanna Dental are set in line with the Alberta Dental Fee Guide.

We would love you to visit our Savanna Dental clinic in Calgary! You can find out more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca/!

References

[1] Leskela, J., Putaala, J., & Paju, S. (2024). Periodontitis, Dental Procedures, and Young-Onset Cryptogenic Stroke. Journal of Dental Research. 103 (5). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00220345241232406.

[2] National Health Service. (2022). Stroke. Available: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stroke/. Last accessed: 13th June 2024.

[3] American Heart Association. (2020). Gum disease, inflammation, hardened arteries may be linked to stroke risk. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-gum-disease-inflammation-hardened-arteries.html. Last accessed: 13th June 2024.

[4] University of Helsinki. (2024). Patients with periodontitis have significantly increased risk of stroke before age 50, study indicates. Available: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-patients-periodontitis-significantly-age.html. Last accessed: 13th June 2024.