Journal of Periodontology and the American Journal of Cardiology develop joint clinical recom...( CHICAGO (June 1 2009) Cardiovascul...),Health

CHICAGO (June 1, 2009) Cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading killer in the United States, is a major public health issue contributing to 2,400 deaths each day. Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disease that destroys the bone and tissues that support the teeth affects nearly 75 percent of Americans and is the major cause of adult tooth loss. While the prevalence rates of these disease states seem grim, research suggests that managing one disease may reduce the risk for the other.

A consensus paper on the relationship between heart disease and gum disease was recently developed by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) and The American Journal of Cardiology (AJC). The paper is published concurrently in the online versions of the AJC, a peer-reviewed journal circulated to 30,000 cardiologists, and the Journal of Periodontology (JOP), the official publication of the AAP. Developed in concert by cardiologists and periodontists, the paper includes clinical recommendations for both medical and dental professionals to use in managing patients living with, or who are at risk for, either disease. As a result of the paper, cardiologists may now examine a patient's mouth, and periodontists may begin asking questions about heart health and family history of heart disease.

Specific clinical recommendations include:

• Patients with periodontitis who have 1 known major atherosclerotic CVD risk factor such as smoking, immediate family history for CVD, or history of dyslipidemia should consider a medical evaluation if they have not done so within the past 12 months.
• A periodontal evaluation should be considered in patients with atherosclerotic CVD who have: signs or symptoms of gingival disease; significant tooth loss, and unexplained elevation of hs-CRP or other inflammatory biomarkers.
• A periodontal evaluation of patients with atherosclerotic CVD should include a comprehensive examination of p
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