Epidemiological Research on Risk Factors for Inflammatory Disorders

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory response to bacteria that reside within the gum tissue. Scientists at the CCID have recently demonstrated that periodontitis is a significant independent risk factor for the fatality and morbidity associated with cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction and stroke. We now understand that periodontal infections significantly increase the risk of stroke and myocardial infarctions 2-3 fold, even after adjusting for other more traditional risk factors like hypertension, triglycerides, body mass, etc. Similarly, scientists at the CCID have discovered that periodontal infections appear to be a significant risk factor for delivery of preterm low birth weight children, severe complications in Diabetes, and birth defects in premature newborn children. It is also clear that certain oral inflammatory responses to virus can play a significant role in systemic medical health problems. The CCID is conducting research on the risk factors associated with Periodontal Disease and other oral inflammatory conditions on more severe systemic medical complications through its Population and Statistics Program.