Periodontitis, pathology that affects dental health and myocardial infarction have the same genetic etiology has discovered a group of scientists from the University of Kiel (northern Germany).
Although for years it was known that there is a relationship between both diseases, which is trying to investigate now is how far the two diseases covered by the same genetic alteration.
Thus, experts are analyzing in depth the variations on chromosome 9 has been in people with severe periodontitis.
“The genetic alterations are associated with this pathological symptoms are completely identical to those presented by patients who have had a heart attack,” said Arne Schafer today, the Clinical Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Kiel.
“We’re testing a very aggressive form of periodontitis, one that strikes people very young and frequently attends parodontosis, a severe inflammatory condition.”
So said Schafer on Monday as part of the annual congress of the European Society of Human Genetics held in Vienna.
The idea is periodontitis infarction and derived from the same risk factors, smoking tops the list, followed by diseases related to the assimilation of sugars (eg, diabetes) and overweight.
“Because of its relationship with myocardial infarction, dentists must take into account the periodontitis, in order to achieve early diagnosis and to treat it as early as possible.”
Myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death worldwide, while periodontitis, which may involve inflammation of the jawbone, the gum or tooth-neck, is the first reason for tooth loss.
Around nine out of ten people over 60 years they have or have shown clear signs of periodontitis.