HEALTH UPDATE: bad dental health raises stroke risk

Loss of teeth and the bone around them and reduced periodontal health might increase the risk of ischemic stroke.
Previous studies have suggested a relationship between periodontal (gum) disease and stroke. However, the connection has not been clear. To investigate further, the researchers from Boston University studied the relationship between gum disease and history of stroke in individuals 60 years of age and older who had taken part in a US national survey which ended in 1994.
After the adjustment for age and tobacco use, people who were completely edentulous (toothless), partially toothless and/or had significant clinical attachment loss were significantly more likely to have a history of stroke than those with teeth and no appreciable attachment loss. The likelihood of having had a stroke was about twice as high in those with complete tooth loss or extensive gum disease as among those with good oral health.
The researchers point out that it is unclear whether periodontal disease is an independent risk factor for stroke or a risk marker for the disease.
They therefore advise to take care of dental health in order to lower overall health risks is supported by results of another study, which showed that a single periodontal treatment, such as scaling, can lower levels of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker known to be associated with heart and vascular disease.