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    December 30, 2020
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HIDDEN TOOTH INFECTIONS MAY PREDISPOSE PEOPLE TO HEART DISEASE According to a new study conducted in Finland, an infection of the root tip of a tooth increases the risk of coronary artery disease, even if the infection is symptomless. Hidden dental root tip infections are very common: as many as one in four Finns suffers from at least one. Such infections are usually detected by chance from X-rays. Acute coronary syndrome is 2.7 times more common among patients with untreated teeth in need of root canal treatment than among patients without this issue. Dental root tip infection, or apical periodontitis, is a bodily defense reaction against microbial infection in the dental pulp. Caries is the most common cause of dental root tip infection. Today, information is increasingly available about the connection between oral infections and many common chronic diseases. For example, periodontitis, an inflammatory disease affecting the tissues that surround the teeth, causes low-grade inflammation and is regarded as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease and diabetes. Dental root tip infections have been studied relatively little in this context, even though they appear to be connected with low-grade inflammation as well. The researchers also discovered that dental root tip infections were connected with a high level of serum antibodies related to common bacteria causing such infections. This shows that oral infections affect other parts of the body as well. Cardiovascular diseases cause more than 30 per cent of deaths globally. Measures should be taken to prevent or treat oral infections, as they are very common and often asymptomatic. Root canal treatment of an infected tooth may reduce the risk of heart disease, but more research is needed. Presented as a service to the community by Dr. Barbara Webster 1121 Warren Ave., Suite 130, Downers Grove, IL 60515 630-663-0554 SM-CL 1835804 HIDDEN TOOTH INFECTIONS MAY PREDISPOSE PEOPLE TO HEART DISEASE According to a new study conducted in Finland, an infection of the root tip of a tooth increases the risk of coronary artery disease, even if the infection is symptomless. Hidden dental root tip infections are very common: as many as one in four Finns suffers from at least one. Such infections are usually detected by chance from X-rays. Acute coronary syndrome is 2.7 times more common among patients with untreated teeth in need of root canal treatment than among patients without this issue. Dental root tip infection, or apical periodontitis, is a bodily defense reaction against microbial infection in the dental pulp. Caries is the most common cause of dental root tip infection. Today, information is increasingly available about the connection between oral infections and many common chronic diseases. For example, periodontitis, an inflammatory disease affecting the tissues that surround the teeth, causes low-grade inflammation and is regarded as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease and diabetes. Dental root tip infections have been studied relatively little in this context, even though they appear to be connected with low-grade inflammation as well. The researchers also discovered that dental root tip infections were connected with a high level of serum antibodies related to common bacteria causing such infections. This shows that oral infections affect other parts of the body as well. Cardiovascular diseases cause more than 30 per cent of deaths globally. Measures should be taken to prevent or treat oral infections, as they are very common and often asymptomatic. Root canal treatment of an infected tooth may reduce the risk of heart disease, but more research is needed. Presented as a service to the community by Dr. Barbara Webster 1121 Warren Ave., Suite 130, Downers Grove, IL 60515 630-663-0554 SM-CL 1835804