Periodontal pathogens as potential risk factors for systemic diseases: An overview

Abstract There is a plethora of evidence that suggests infection may either directly or indirectly trigger chronic inflammatory processes which may then act as a risk factor for diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. Inflammatory periodontal disease like periodontitis, is among the most prevalent oral infectious disease. It affects the tissues that support the teeth and has reportedly been linked to systemic conditions like diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. The onset and progression of periodontitis is significantly influenced by the plaque-biofilm and the host-inflammatory response to it. Evidence from numerous studies included in this review supports the hypothesis that there is an association between periodontal pathogens and systemic conditions like diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. An overview of some of the periodontal pathogens associated with periodontitis and the proposed mechanisms by which these pathogens can evade and invade the human defence system triggering the onset of chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis are presented in this article.