Stress and genetic predisposition: typical triggers of high blood pressure.
But the condition of the gums also has an immense influence, according to researchers.
Gum inflammation (medical gingivitis) * not only promotes frequent bleeding of the gums: the risk of periodontal disease also increases if it is left untreated. This is an inflammation of the tooth bed, the stabilizing tissue around the tooth and also the bones are affected.
If left untreated, periodontal disease (also called periodontal disease) can lead to teeth falling out.
But periodontosis is not only dangerous for dental health: it is also believed to trigger high blood pressure.
This is the conclusion reached by British and Spanish researchers. In a study they examined how periodontal disease affects the risk of high blood pressure. The effect was significant, so the scientists from University College London and the Department of Periodontology at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya report in the journal
Hypertension
,
that healthy gums are associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure.
An early diagnosis and successful treatment of periodontitis could also dampen general inflammation in the body and thus normalize the function of damaged blood vessels again, the portal Wissenschaft aktuell quotes the researchers.
Periodontal pathogens could spread through the bloodstream and cause infections in other parts of the body, it said.
+
The insidious thing about inflammation of the gums, the precursor of periodontal disease: Patients often do not notice for a long time that they are affected.
© Jordache / www.imago-images.de
Periodontitis patients are twice as likely to have high blood pressure
"In patients with gum disease, we often notice high blood pressure, especially with active gingivitis or bleeding gums," quotes Wissenschaft-aktuell.de Eva Muñoz Aguilera from University College London. According to the researchers, periodontitis pathogens are the ones that damage the gums and trigger inflammatory processes, which can also promote high blood pressure. In the study, 500 study participants were examined and divided into two groups of 250 participants. On average, the subjects were 35 years old. One group comprised people with severe periodontal disease who were otherwise healthy. The other group had healthy gums. Taking into account other influencing factors such as weight, fitness, gender and tobacco consumption, the following became apparent:
The inflammation levels in the blood of the periodontal disease patients were higher than those in the control group
.
In addition, patients with periodontal disease had an average systolic blood pressure of 3.4 mm Hg, which was over 140 in 14 percent of the cases.
In the control group, only seven percent achieved these high values.
However, bleeding gums, an early sign of periodontal disease, were also associated with high blood pressure values.
To prevent the
spread of periodontitis-promoting oral bacteria, dentists recommend
good oral hygiene, which is combined with daily brushing, cleaning of the interdental spaces and regular check
-ups at
the dentist.
(jg)
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