The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, is one of the first to look at how atrial fibrillation is affected by gingival inflammation, and shows that regular periodontal disease in patients with atrial fibrillation is It says people with this condition need to be tested and labeled for treatment. By a dentist.

Atrial fibrillation, which increases an individual’s risk of stroke by 500%, is expected to affect more than 12 million Americans by 2030, while Centers for Disease Control statistics show that about half of U.S. adults are older. Given this, the association said, the results of this study could have a major impact on medical care. People over the age of 30 have some form of periodontal or periodontal disease, and the incidence increases with age.

“Periodontal disease can be improved by dental intervention. Properly managing periodontal disease appears to improve the prognosis of atrial fibrillation, and many people around the world may benefit from it. “Yes,” said Dr. Shunsuke Miyauchi, lead author of the study and an assistant professor at Hiroshima University. Health Service Center.

By comparing 97 patients who received both radiofrequency catheter ablation and gingival inflammation treatment to 191 ablation patients who did not receive periodontal treatment, researchers found that during a follow-up period of 8.5 to 24 months, 24 They found that atrial fibrillation recurred in 61% of patients. It was lower in the treatment group.

Importantly, about one in four patients who had atrial fibrillation recurrence had more severe periodontal disease than patients who did not have atrial fibrillation recurrence. This association was tested using standard indicators used by dentists to measure the severity of gingival inflammation.

“Although the main results were in line with their expectations, we were surprised by how useful a quantitative indicator of periodontal disease known as periodontal inflammatory surface area, or PISA, is in cardiovascular clinical practice. Professor Miyauchi said, emphasizing the importance of multicenter randomized studies. Required to check the results.

Other predictors of AFib include being female, having had an arrhythmia for more than two years, and having an enlarged left atrial volume and associated connective tissue thickening and scarring, Miyauchi explained.

“We are currently undertaking further research to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the relationship between periodontal disease and atrial fibrillation,” he said.

The AHA said it does not currently include oral health as a risk factor for heart disease, but acknowledges that it can be an important measure of overall health and well-being.

“Bacteria from inflamed teeth and gums can travel through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, including the heart and brain. Chronic gum inflammation can be linked to coronary artery disease, stroke, 2 “It may be associated with other systemic health conditions, such as type diabetes.”

The study group consisted of 288 Asian adults, 66% of whom were male, who were being treated for atrial fibrillation, and all had been examined by a dentist before undergoing catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Catheter ablation is a procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to destroy small areas of heart tissue, causing rapid and irregular heartbeats.

This research was supported by a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Johnson & Johnson Medical Research Association.