Update on general health risk of periodontal disease

Objectives: To review the potential of periodontal infections to cause nonoral diseases. Therapeutic recommendations are provided to help patients and dental practitioners prevent systemic complications from periodontal infections. Findings: Systemic diseases from oral bacteria are mostly caused by transient bacteraemias, which can occur spontaneously from dental foci of infection, from mastication, brushing, flossing or other daily manipulations, or from dental treatments. Examples of systemic infections that may involve oral microorganisms include infective endocarditis, aspiration pneumonia, HIV-related disseminated candidiasis and cancrum oris, septicaemia associated with cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy, necrotising faciitis and various other life-threatening infections. Inflamed gingiva constitutes a significant reservoir for herpes viruses, which have the potential to cause serious systemic diseases in immuno-compromised patients. Periodontal disease may also aggravate chronic insulin insensitivity and thus interfere with glycaemic control in diabetic patients. Controversy surrounds the involvement of periodontal infections in coronary heart disease. Conclusions: Cumulative evidence suggests that periodontal disease can be an important cause of morbidity and mortality of various systemic diseases, especially in individuals exhibiting compromised host defence. Maintaining a healthy dentition and periodontium by means of daily oral hygiene practice and regular professional care is the most effective way of preventing systemic diseases from oral infections.