There have been many studies in the past decades proposing an association between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. As a result, some authors have deduced a causative relationship — that is, it has been hypothesized that periodontal treatment can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association convened a committee of experts who reviewed the available evidence and concluded that while there is evidence of an association between dental disease and cardiovascular disease, there is no evidence of a causative relationship. This April 2012 American Heart Association statement was endorsed by the American Dental Association and the World Heart Association, and it is entitled “Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: Does the Evidence Support an Independent Association?”

We recommend treating periodontal disease because good dental health is part of your overall health, but we do not recommend this dental treatment as a way to prevent cardiovascular disease. To prevent cardiovascular disease, diet and exercise are recommended along with the recommendations of your primary care physician or cardiologist.

The article is available at
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2012/04/18/CIR.0b013e31825719f3.full.pdf+html