Patients with a GP-inputted medical history of periodontal (gum) disease have a higher chance of developing illnesses such as mental ill-health and cardiac issues, according to a University of Birmingham-led study.
Experts conducted a first-of-its-kind study of 64,379 patients’ GP records who had a GP-recorded history of periodontal diseases, such as gingivitis and periodontitis (the condition that occurs if gum disease is left untreated and can lead to tooth loss).
Gingivitis affected 60,995 people, while periodontitis affected 3,384. The data of these patients were compared to 251,161 people who had no history of periodontal disease.
The average age of the cohorts was 44 years old, with 43 percent of men and 30 percent of smokers. BMI, ethnicity, and deprivation levels were also comparable between the groups.
Plaque buildup on teeth and along the gum line is the most common cause of gum disease. Plaque is a bacteria-filled sticky covering. With an inflammatory response, the immune system works to get rid of plaque. The redness and swelling of the gums around the tooth indicate this.
Over a three-year period, the researchers looked at the data to see how many patients with and without periodontal disease developed cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart failure, stroke, vascular dementia), cardiometabolic disorders (e.g., high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes), autoimmune conditions (e.g., arthritis, Type 1 diabetes, psoriasis), and mental illness (e.g., depression, anxiety, and serious mental illness).
From the research, published today (December 20, 2021) in the journal BMJ Open, the researchers discovered that patients who had a history of periodontal disease at the outset of the study were more likely to develop one of these extra illnesses over the course of three years than those who did not have periodontal disease at the start of the investigation.
Poor oral health is extremely common, both here in the UK and globally. When oral ill-health progresses, it can lead to a substantially reduced quality of life. However, until now, not much has been known about the association of poor oral health and many chronic diseases, particularly mental ill-health.
Dr. Joht Singh Chandan
According to the findings, patients with a history of periodontal disease had a 37 percent increased risk of developing mental illness, a 33 percent increased risk of developing autoimmune disease, an 18 percent increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and a 7% (with the increased risk much higher for Type 2 diabetes at 26 percent) increased risk of having a cardiometabolic disorder.
Co-first author, Dr. Joht Singh Chandan, of the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Applied Health Research, said: “Poor oral health is extremely common, both here in the UK and globally. When oral ill-health progresses, it can lead to a substantially reduced quality of life. However, until now, not much has been known about the association of poor oral health and many chronic diseases, particularly mental ill-health.”
“Therefore, we conducted one of the largest epidemiological studies of its kind to date, using UK primary care data to explore the association between periodontal disease and several chronic conditions. We found evidence that periodontal disease appears to be associated with an increased risk of developing these associated chronic diseases. As periodontal diseases are very common, an increased risk of other chronic diseases may represent a substantial public health burden.”
The research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre and funded in part by Versus Arthritis’ Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research at the University of Birmingham.
Caroline Aylott, Head of Research Delivery at Versus Arthritis, said: “Some of the biggest challenges of arthritis, especially auto-immune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) which affects 400,000 people in the UK, is being able to know who is more at risk of developing it, and finding ways to prevent it.”
“Previous studies have shown that people with RA were four times more likely to have gum disease than their RA-free counterparts and it tended to be more severe. This research provides further clear evidence why healthcare professionals need to be vigilant for early signs of gum disease and how it can have wide-reaching implications for a person’s health, reinforcing the importance of taking a holistic approach when treating people.”
