Researchers report this week that older adults who have higher proportions of four periodontal-disease-causing bacteria inhabiting their mouths also tend to have thicker carotid arteries, a strong predictor of stroke and heart attack. An investigative team of researchers from the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) and Columbia University (New York City) presented their findings today at the 83rd General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, convening at the Baltimore Convention Center. As first reported in the journal Circulation, this is the first report of a direct association between cardiovascular disease and bacteria involved in periodontal disease, inflammation of the gums that affects an estimated 200 million Americans to various degrees.
