Centers for Disease Control: Half of American Adults have Periodontal Disease — linked to diabetes, heart disease

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show high prevalence of periodontal disease in the U.S. population. -Go get your teeth and gums checked!

CHICAGO, Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- One out of every two American adults aged 30 and over has periodontal disease, according to recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 A study titled "Prevalence of Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010," estimates that 47.2 percent, or 64.7 million American adults, have mild, moderate or severe periodontitis, the more advanced form of periodontal disease. In adults 65 and older, prevalence rates increase to 70.1 percent. This study is published in the Journal of Dental Research, the official publication of the International and American Associations for Dental Research.

"This is the most accurate picture of periodontal disease in the U.S. adult population we have ever had," said Pamela McClain, DDS, President of the American Academy of Periodontology and a practicing periodontist in Aurora, Colorado. "For the first time, we now have a precise measure of the prevalence of periodontal disease, and can better understand the true severity and extent of periodontal disease in our country. The AAP values its collaboration with CDC to better understand the burden of periodontal disease in Americans."

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gum tissue and bone supporting the teeth, according to the American Academy of Periodontology. If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to tooth loss, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The AAP has worked closely with CDC since 2003 on periodontal disease surveillance.

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) supports the American Heart Association’s (AHA) scientific statement “Periodontal Disease and Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: Does the Evidence Support an Independent Association?” recently published in Circulation. The statement concludes that observational studies to date support an association between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease, independent of shared risk factors.

The AHA’s statement confirms the conclusions of the statements published by the AAP and the American Journal of Cardiology in 2009 and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in 2008. While current research does not yet provide evidence of a causal relationship between the two diseases, scientists have identified biologic factors, such as chronic inflammation, that independently link periodontal disease to the development or progression of cardiovascular disease in some patients.

However, the lack of causal evidence should not diminish concern about the impact of periodontal status on cardiovascular health. According to Pamela McClain, DDS, president of the American Academy of Periodontology and a practicing periodontist in Aurora, Colorado. 

"Periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease are both complex, multi-factorial diseases that develop over time. It may be overly simplistic to expect a direct causal link. The relationship between the diseases is more likely to be mediated by numerous other factors, mechanisms, and circumstances that we have yet to uncover. However, as the AHA statement points out, the association is real and independent of shared risk factors. Patients and healthcare providers should not ignore the increased risk of heart disease associated with gum disease just because we do not have all the answers yet."

 "To really know if you have periodontal disease, a dental professional must examine each tooth above and below the gum line. A visual examination alone, even by the most qualified dentist, is not enough. These findings suggest that many more people have periodontal disease than previously thought, so it is more important than ever to receive a comprehensive periodontal evaluation from your dental professional, every year," Dr. McClain said. Research has shown, and experts agree, that there is an association between periodontal diseases and other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, treating inflammation may not only help manage periodontal diseases but may also help with the management of other chronic inflammatory conditions.

 Complicating the issue is the fact that most people do not have access to affordable dental care as most adult dental benefits are connected to higher-level jobs. In other words, many people do not have dental benefits nor the money to regularly see a dentist. Researchers also found a link between injectable contraceptive use and periodontal disease.

 The study found that women who are currently taking depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA also known as "the shot") injectable contraceptive, or have taken DMPA in the past, are more likely to have indicators of poor periodontal health, including gingivitis and periodontitis, than women who have never taken the injectable contraceptive. DMPA is a long-lasting progestin-only injectable contraceptive administered intermuscularly every three months.

  Treatment

Most periodontists would agree that after scaling and root planing, many patients do not require any further active treatment, including surgical therapy.