The Study
Association of Periodontal Status and Porphyromonas gingivalis Concentration with Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Angiography Patients
This study found that people with worse gum health and more of a certain bacteria in their blood were more likely to have clogged heart arteries. But it didn't prove that the gum problems caused the heart problems—maybe people with poor gums also have other health issues that hurt their hearts.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at people with heart disease and those without, checking their gums and blood for a bad gum bacteria called Porphyromonas gingivalis.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 544 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes—having more of this gum bacteria in your bloodstream was linked to a small but statistically significant increase in heart disease risk, suggesting gum infections might spread to your heart.
- 2People with more gum damage (loose teeth, plaque) and more of this bacteria in their blood were more likely to have severe heart artery blockages.
- 3The bacteria in the mouth alone wasn't linked to heart disease.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research
Year
2025
Authors
Xinyi Zheng, Jinhua Zhao, Feng Qiao, Changyi Li
Related Content
Claims (6)
Bacteria from gum disease can escape from your mouth into your bloodstream and may help cause calcium buildup in your heart arteries and valves, which can lead to heart problems.
People with higher levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis DNA in their blood have a higher likelihood of having coronary artery disease, with each unit increase in DNA concentration linked to an 8.6% higher odds of the disease.
People with more severe gum disease, measured by loose teeth and plaque buildup, tend to have more severe coronary artery disease, measured by the Gensini score.
People with higher tooth mobility and more dental plaque have a higher risk of coronary artery disease, even when accounting for age, sex, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Detecting Porphyromonas gingivalis DNA in oral samples does not correlate with the presence of coronary artery disease, indicating that bacteria in the bloodstream may be more relevant than bacteria in the mouth.
Periodontal disease and coronary artery disease are linked, and this link is stronger when the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis is found in the blood, indicating that this bacteria may be a biological mediator between gum disease and heart disease.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.