Dentists and physicians can collaborate to encourage cardiovascular disease prevention and emphasize the oral-systemic connection
As the most prevalent chronic inflammatory non-communicable disease (NCD) affecting people, periodontitis poses a serious threat to public health. Globally, 1.1 billion cases of severe periodontitis were reported in 2019, and the age-standardized prevalence rate of severe periodontitis increased by 8.44% between 1990 and 2019, according to data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database.
Due to the associated morbidity of periodontitis, which can cause impairment in masticatory function, speech, appearance, or edentulism, it also poses a significant public health risk. It contributes to social inequality, significantly lowers quality of life, has a detrimental effect on general health, and is linked to high costs for dental and medical care.
According to the results of clinical studies, treatment of periodontitis is linked to improvements in overall health. Periodontitis is independently linked to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and COVID-19-associated complications.
The early case detection and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and periodontitis, as well as the promotion of healthy lifestyles, depend on closer cooperation between oral health professionals (OHPs) and family doctors.
References
Herrera, D., Sanz, M., Shapira, L., Brotons, C., Chapple, I., Frese, T., Graziani, F., Hobbs, F. D. R., Huck, O., Hummers, E., Jepsen, S., Kravtchenko, O., Madianos, P., Molina, A., Ungan, M., Vilaseca, J., Windak, A., & Vinker, S. (2023). Association between periodontal diseases and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and respiratory diseases: Consensus report of the Joint Workshop by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and the European arm of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA Europe). Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 50(6), 819–841. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.13807
Chen, M. X., Zhong, Y. J., Dong, Q. Q., Wong, H. M., & Wen, Y. F. (2021). Global, regional, and national burden of severe periodontitis, 1990-2019: An analysis of the global burden of Disease study 2019. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 48(9), 1165–1188. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.13506
Tonetti, M. S., Jepsen, S., Jin, L., & Otomo-Corgel, J. (2017). Impact of the global burden of periodontal diseases on health, nutrition and wellbeing of mankind: A call for global action. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 44(5), 456–462. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.12732
