Periodontitis- as a risk factor for pulmonary diseases

Abstract

respiratory disease are responsible for a significant number of deaths and considerable suffering in human. poor health and low immunity state plays a very important role in pathogenesis of respiratory disease.The colonization of the respiratory tract with various oral periodontopathogens may result in respiratory diseases such as bacterial pneumonia.The teeth may also serve as a reservoir for respiratory pathogen colonization and subsequent nosocomial pneumonia. The overreaction of the inflammatory process that leads to the destruction of the connective tissue is present in both periodontal disease and emphysema. The mechanisms of infection could be the aspiration into the lung of oral pathogens capable of causing pneumonia, colonization of dental plaque by respiratory pathogens followed by aspiration, or facilitation of colonization of the upper airway by pulmonary pathogens by periodontal pathogens. Many pulmonary disorders like respiratory obstructive diseases, systemic diseases with pulmonary involvement, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis or tuberculosis all have clinical and/ or therapeutic involvement of the oral cavity, which underlines the necessity of regular dental services and careful oral cavity exam, as well as an active collaboration between dental practitioners and pulmonologists