Poor dental hygiene can lead to heart failure - RCSI

POOR DENTAL hygiene can lead to heart failure, scientists at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI) have established.

The RCSI, in collaboration with the University of Bristol, has found gum disease can lead to bacteria entering the bloodstream which forces the blood to clot and increases the possibility of heart failure.

The colleges unveiled their research at the Society for General Microbiology’s autumn meeting in Nottingham last week.

A link between gum disease and heart failure has been established among smokers who often suffer from both poor oral hygiene and cardiovascular health.

In the latest research it has been found that streptococcus bacteria which enter the bloodstream as a result of poor oral hygiene can cause life-threatening problems. The bacteria contains a protein called PadA which forces platelets in the blood to bind together and form clots.

These clots can cause growths on the heart valves and inflammation of blood vessels that can block the blood supply to the heart and brain, the researchers found.

The team, led Dr Steve Kerrigan at the RCSI School of Pharmacy, is developing a new blood-flow model which mimics the human circulatory system and indicates how the platelet-activating function of PadA can be blocked.

Lead researcher Prof Howard Jenkinson said the evidence showed that good oral hygiene was another factor in preventing heart problems along with established strategies such as diet and fitness levels.

Prof Jenkinson said the research being carried out by the RCSI could have important implications that go beyond the work on PadA. “This could eventually lead to new treatments for cardiovascular disease which is the biggest killer in the developed world,” he said.

It is hoped that the work could speed up the development of drugs which might prevent streptococcus bacteria causing the blood to clot.