Can tooth decay and gum inflammation in childhood increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in adulthood?
A study conducted in China, which enrolled 755 children and followed them for 27 years into adulthood, recently published in the journal JAMA, investigated the relationship between oral health in childhood and cardiovascular disease in adulthood.
Oral infections (periodontitis and tooth decay) are among the most widespread forms of infection and inflammation worldwide. Both conditions appear very early in life: tooth decay and gingivitis are among the most common chronic diseases in children. If the early signs are not properly treated, over the years these conditions can develop into more severe forms of periodontitis and lead to tooth loss.
Exposure to cardiovascular risk factors at an early age, such as high blood pressure, obesity and passive smoking, has long been associated with the development of arteriosclerosis in adulthood. Identifying all the risk factors in childhood is therefore important in order to change lifestyle habits in early youth and so improve the outlook for cardiovascular health in middle age.
Oral infections, in particular, are biomarkers of poor hygiene. Teaching children from a very young age to brush their teeth correctly is therefore essential to protect their heart health in adulthood.
Source: Pirkko J. Pussinen, PhD1; Susanna Paju, DDS, PhD1; Jaana Koponen, BDS1; et al, Association of Childhood Oral Infections With Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Adulthood, JAMA Netw Open.
