Each year every September 29th, the World Heart Day is celebrated: this celebration is promoted by the World Heart Federation to raise awareness about the issue of cardiovascular diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most common group of diseases worldwide and the leading cause of death and hospitalization in Italy. It retains many shared risk factors with periodontal diseases, such as smoking, stress and unhealthy lifestyle.
What is the relationship between periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases?
Many studies demonstrated a correlation between periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases. The biological plausibility behind this correlation relies on the phenomenon of bacteremia: the microorganisms frequently associated to periodontitis penetrate in the gingival connective tissue through the epithelial sulcus; in turn, through the microcirculation of the gingival tissue, these microorganisms enter the systemic bloodstream.
Moreover, recent evidence demonstrated how the presence of periodontitis increases the risk for atherosclerosis, as well as arterial stiffness and flow mediated dilation; these phenomena can induce both cerebrovascular (i.e. transient ischemic attack and stroke) and cardiovascular events (i.e. angina, heart attack and heart failure).
Indeed, individuals with periodontitis were also demonstrated to have a 20% increased probability of hypertension, which can amount to up to 49% in cases of severe periodontitis.
Periocampus Advanced and Periomedicine: A global vision of the patient
That is the reason why wededicated a space, namely Periomedicine, during our Periocampus Advanced course to the impact of systemic diseases on patients oral health and quality of life. Throughout this lecture we will deepen the correlation between periodontal and cardiovascular diseases.
Whether you are a dentist or a dental hygienist, approaching the patient by adopting a global systemic vision taking into account all possible comorbidities is of the utmost importance. Therefore, treating periodontitis not only as a disease limited to the oral cavity, but also as a systemic inflammatory disease, encompasses:
- The improvement of patients compliance to the periodontal therapy
- The raise of patients awareness towards their oral and systemic health
- The creation of a bridge between dentistry and other branches of medicine
We sensitize doctors, to sensitize patients!
Find out our next Periocampus Advanced dates and book your seat!
- Periocampus Advanced: 12-13-14 DECEMBER 2021 – Pisa (Italy)
- Periocampus Patients: 15 DECEMBER 2021 – Pisa (Italy)
Download here the Advanced course program.
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