Oral infections and cardiovascular disease

•There is evidence linking periodontal disease to cardiovascular disease (CVD).•Mechanisms linking oral infections to CVD involve actions of oral bacteria on the vasculature.•Systemic inflammation is an important component of the role of oral bacteria in the pathogenesis of CVD.•Natural inflammation-resolving molecules may help to reduce the inflammation arm of the proposed periodontitis–CVD link without antimicrobial intervention.

Oral infections are the most common diseases of mankind. Numerous reports have implicated oral infections, particularly periodontitis, as a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this review we examine the epidemiology and biologic plausibility of this association with an emphasis on oral bacteria and inflammation. Longitudinal studies of incident cardiovascular events clearly show excess risk for CVD in individuals with periodontitis. It is likely that systemic exposure to oral bacteria impacts upon the initiation and progression of CVD through triggering of inflammatory processes. Given the high prevalence of periodontitis, any risk attributable to future CVD is important to public health. Unraveling the role of the oral microbiome in CVD will lead to new preventive and treatment approaches.