Periodontitis has been shown to be associated with cognitive decline, and recent research has linked periodontitis to the risk of stroke in young people.
Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. There is emerging evidence that periodontitis is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. Based on their research on the link between poor periodontal health and various cognitive problems, a team from the University of Eastern Finland examined the relationship between periodontitis and stroke in people under 50 years of age and confirmed the link in a case-control study.
The study involved 146 people aged 18 to 49 years who had suffered cryptogenic ischemic stroke that was not explained by established risk factors, and 146 age- and gender-matched controls. Based on the results of a thorough radiological and clinical examination, as well as patient indicators such as obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking and education level, and bacteremia, the researchers concluded that there is a clear correlation between periodontitis in people under 50 years of age. years and an increased risk of cryptogenic ischemic stroke. Putting this into context, study co-author Dr. Pirkko Pussinen, professor of translational dentistry at the university's Institute of Dentistry, said on the university's website: “People with periodontitis have a 2-2.5 times higher risk of stroke during working age.”
Additional findings from the study include the fact that stroke severity increased with increasing severity of periodontitis and that stroke onset was associated with recent invasive dental procedures or the presence of chronic dental infections requiring emergency dental treatment. Professor Pussinen elaborated on this: “The risk of stroke also increases after invasive dental procedures such as root canals and tooth extractions, especially in people with a patent foramen ovale (PFO), the opening between the left and right atrium.”
The study found that both OOO and oral bacteria released into the bloodstream as a result of periodontal disease may contribute to the formation of blood clots that lead to stroke, but there were cautions about the role the bacteria play. The researchers said: “We were able to obtain blood samples from patients just a few days after their stroke, and at this point no bacterial biomarkers were detected in their blood.”