Periodontitis as a risk factor of stroke - literature review

Introduction and objective. Periodontitis is an inflammatory condition affecting tooth-supporting tissues that can interfere with the course of systemic diseases. Currently, the main interest has focused on the interaction between periodontal disease and cardiovascular diseases. State of knowledge. The paper presents current views on the relationship between periodontitis and stroke, based on a search in the Medline and Pubmed databases from 2000–2016. Numerous studies have shown that periodontal inflammation may mediate the formation of ischemic stroke by promoting the growth of atherosclerotic plaque. Periodontitis was assumed to be an independent risk factor for stroke. Conclusions. Prevention and treatment of periodontal disease might inhibit the development of the inflammatory process and consequently the formation of atherosclerotic plaque.