“Poor dental health has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Chronic periodontal infection especially has been associated with the risk of acute myocardial infarction (MI)13 and coronary heart disease.14 In addition, Mendez et al15 found that periodontal disease was a significant independent risk factor for peripheral vascular disease.”

“Infectious agents, especially bacteria and their components originating from the oral cavity or respiratory tract, have been suggested to contribute to inflammation in the coronary plaque, leading to rupture and the subsequent development of coronary thrombus. We aimed to measure bacterial DNA in thrombus aspirates of patients with ST segment–elevation myocardial infarction and to check for a possible association between bacteria findings and oral pathology in the same cohort.”

“Conclusions: Dental infection and oral bacteria, especially viridans streptococci, may be associated with the development of acute coronary thrombosis.”

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