Oral Biofilms and Their Connection to Cardiovascular Health

Abstract

Systemic and oral health are interconnected via bacteria in the oral biofilm and their byproducts which can circulate throughout the body. Oral biofilm and its associated periodontal health have not been frequently addressed in patients with systemic health issues, especially cardiac related health. This is especially true for those patients who do not respond to medical treatment for their cardiac health issues via their physician. The periodontal sulcus around the teeth in the absence of the clinical evidence of periodontal disease (bleeding on probing or brushing, gingival inflammation) may have oral biofilm present. Inflammatory reaction is patient dependent on their immune response to the associated bacteria and their byproducts present in the oral biofilm. Increasing evidence has emerged in recent years connecting oral biofilms with systemic conditions including cardiac related issues, either by initiating them or by complicating those medical conditions. The patient’s health needs to be considered as a whole-body system with connections that may originate in the oral cavity and have distant effects throughout the body. In order to maximize the patient’s total health, healthcare needs to be a coordination between the physician and dentist to eliminate the oral biofilm and aid in the prevention of systemic disease or minimize those effects to improve the overall patient health and their quality of life. This article will focus on oral biofilm, and its connection to cardiovascular health.