Link strengthened between periodontal treatment, cardiovascular health
For employers looking to lower their employees' risk of cardiovascular illness, there is potentially good news.
Aggressive treatment for periodontal disease may reduce the inflammatory markers and lipid profiles associated with cardiovascular risk.
D'Aiuto and colleagues' recent research report in the May 2006 issue of the American Heart Journal links periodontal infections to cardiovascular risk factors, suggesting the benefits of oral periodontal screening and treatment, especially for individuals at risk for heart disease.
The study, which enrolled 40 otherwise healthy patients with severe chronic generalized periodontitis in a six-month pilot trial, demonstrated that intensive periodontal treatment of scaling and root planing along with a locally applied antibiotic reduces systemic inflammatory markers, systolic blood pressure and reduces cardiovascular risk when compared to the standard therapy of scaling and root planing alone.
"Employers and insurers should recognize that the mounting evidence is pointing to a potential link between oral and systemic health," notes Dr. Angela Hee, Senior Clinical Director for OraPharma Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company and one of the study's co-sponsors.
"By integrating dental and medical coverage--and by sponsoring workplace oral screening programs for periodontal disease--employers could save millions of dollars in health-care costs and productivity losses."
More than one in three people over age 30 have periodontitis, according to the American Academy of Periodontology. Yet, as companies look for ways to better manage high health care costs and implement wellness programs, dental programs are often left out of the picture and oral health screenings are rarities.
"All employers--but especially those with an older workforce and/or a high number of employees at risk for heart disease--should pay close attention to the mounting evidence of a link between oral and systemic health," says Dr. Richard Nagelberg, a private practice dentist and a nationally renowned speaker on the relationship between periodontal disease and systemic health.
"Employers currently sponsor workplace screening for many forms of cancer, but very few provide oral screening, which could help prevent serious chronic conditions. Periodontal screening is simple and inexpensive, and can help reduce health-care costs."
