Laser-Assisted
Periodontal Therapy

Study Strengthens Link Between Gum Disease and Cardiovascular Disease; Notes Benefits of Intensive Periodontal Treatment

According to a study unveiled this past March in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), periodontal disease contributes to blood vessel dysfunction, which is improved by an intensive regimen of periodontal treatment. The study was conducted by researchers led by Maurizio Tonetti, DMD, PhD, executive director of the European Research Group on Periodontology.

The study enrolled 120 otherwise healthy patients with a severe form of periodontal in a 6-month trial and compared the effects of regular tooth cleaning with those of intensive periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing, locally administered antibiotics, and tooth extraction, when necessary). The intensive treatment group showed important and statistically significant improvements in blood flow (as measured by brachial arterial dilation) within 2 months of treatment. The improvement was greater 6 months after treatment.

"In recent years, there have been numerous hypotheses linking periodontal infections to atherosclerosis, the process that leads to blockage of blood vessels," said Dr. Tonetti. "This study validates the effectiveness of intensive periodontal treatment in affecting vascular health."

Currently, more than 1 in 3 Americans over age 30 have some form of periodontitis, according to the American Academy of Periodontology, and cardiovascular disease is the single largest killer of American adults; in 2003, it caused 1 of every 5 deaths in the United States.

"The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine is promising for patients as well as for the medical and dental communities," noted periodontist Michael C Lynch, DMD, PhD, director, Clinical Research Rx, New Technology Oral Health Care R&D, Ora-Pharma, whose locally applied antibiotic ARESTIN was selected by Dr. Tonetti for use in this study. "While researchers continue to study the link between systemic disease and oral health, this study adds to the growing body of evidence and underscores the potential impact of infection and subsequent inflammation on systemic diseases."

As reported in the NEJM, the study was founded by leading academic and research institutions as well as by an educational grant from Ora-Pharma.

DENTISTY TODAY , April 2007 - pg. 50 -