The Relationship Between Porphyromonas Gingivalis and Systemic Disease

By Anna Matthews, RDH, MS and Isis Marsh, RDH, BSDH

Armed with the ability to transform its own environment and the entire periodontal microbiome as well as modify the host response, the influence of Porphyromonas gingivalis extends beyond the oral cavity. It is capable of invading distant tissues and organs and is involved in the pathogenesis of systemic diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD), atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocarditis, and myocardial infarction (MI). This periodontal pathogen can also impact autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA); neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease; several cancers, including oral, esophageal, and pancreatic; and metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Moreover, ongoing research implicates P. gingivalis as a possible risk factor in psychological conditions such as depression; adverse pregnancy outcomes; and respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Research is ongoing to elucidate the degree to which this bacterium is involved in the etiology and pathogenesis of these and other systemic diseases.

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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