Periodontitis Treatment Effective for Atherosclerosis

A UK randomized, single-blind, controlled trial of 135 otherwise healthy participants with periodontitis showed that intensive periodontal treatment (IPT) improved vascular outcomes beyond endothelial function. Participants were randomized to IPT (scaling, root planning, and corrective surgery if needed) or control periodontal treatment (CPT: supra-gingival scaling and polishing) and followed for 24 months. IPT significantly reduced carotid intima-media thickness (a marker of structural remodelling of the arterial wall associated with cardiovascular risk) compared with CPT (−0.023 mm) and produced rapid, sustained improvements in flow-mediated dilation, correlating with better periodontal status. No major differences were observed in blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, metabolomics, or adverse events, but IPT lowered glycoprotein acetyl, an inflammatory/oxidative stress marker. These findings suggest that IPT favorably alters vascular structure and function, reinforcing the role of periodontal health in cardiovascular prevention. Source:  https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/