The Oral-Systemic Connection: How Bacteria in Your Mouth Can Harm Your Heart

Studies show that CVD results from a triple whammy known as the atherosclerotic triad. (Atherosclerosis is plaque buildup in the arteries that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.) The Bale Doneen study is the first to show that these bacterial villains can intensify each component of the arterial disease-inducing triad, creating a perfect storm of harmful effects, as follows:

• People with gum disease have up to twice as much small, dense LDL cholesterol (the most dangerous kind) in their blood as those with healthy gums, according to a recent study. The size of cholesterol particles matters: Some are big and buoyant, so they tend to bounce off vessel walls, while others are small and dense, making it easier for them to penetrate the arterial lining. Think of the difference between beach balls and bullets.
• Chemicals produced by high-risk oral bacteria make the walls of the artery more permeable, so it’s easier for bad cholesterol to invade. Since people with PD due to these pathogens also have higher blood concentrations of small, dense LDL cholesterol, and other disease-causing lipoproteins, this creates a one-two punch on the arteries, much like a gang assault on a house with broken windows or doors.
• Substances produced by high-risk bacteria can also make the inner layers of the arterial wall (where plaque forms) stickier, much like Velcro, so bad cholesterol is more likely to get trapped there and create plaque deposits, resulting in a triple threat to arterial health.