Hemostasis Today
NewsFeed
Headlines Hematology Health Medicine VTE ASH Plasma Donation
October, 2026
October 2026
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
Smbat Marukyan: How Inflamed Gums Can Lead to a Heart Attack – The Chain of Events
Smbat Marukyan/LinkedIn
May 15, 2026, 17:22

Smbat Marukyan: How Inflamed Gums Can Lead to a Heart Attack – The Chain of Events

Smbat Marukyan, General Dentist at Wigmore Group CJSC, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“How Inflamed Gums Can Lead to a Heart Attack – The Chain of Events

Many are surprised to hear that periodontitis is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. But the pathophysiology is fairly clear.

Here is the step-by-step chain:

  1. P. gingivalis and other periodontal pathogens enter the bloodstream during everyday activities like chewing and even tooth brushing (transient bacteraemia).
  2. Their lipopolysaccharides (LPS) activate TLR4 on immune cells, triggering the release of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β.
  3. IL-6 stimulates the liver to produce C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP levels in periodontitis patients are 2–3 times higher.
  4. CRP itself promotes the uptake of oxidised LDL by macrophages and the formation of foam cells in the arterial wall – the beginning of an atherosclerotic plaque.
  5. Gingipains from P. gingivalis activate platelets, promoting thrombus formation on the surface of unstable plaques.

The result:

According to meta-analyses (Li X et al., 2023), periodontitis increases the risk of myocardial infarction by 20–50% and stroke by 20–40%.

What is especially important:

Quality periodontal treatment (scaling and root planing) reduces CRP by 0.5–1.0 mg/L, which corresponds to a 10–15% reduction in cardiovascular risk.

A periodontist and a cardiologist should work in tandem. If a patient has elevated CRP and no obvious cause – take a look at their gums.”

Smbat Marukyan

Stay updated with Hemostasis Today.

Atherosclerotic Plaque Blood C-reactive protein Cardiology cardiovascular events CRP Health Heart Attack Hematology Hemostasis Hemostasis News Hemostasis Today IL-1β IL-6 lipopolysaccharides LPS Medicine Oxidised LDL periodontitis Smbat Marukyan TNF-α transient bacteraemia
NewsFeed