15/08/2025
๐ฆทโค๏ธ Gum Disease Bacteria Can Make Heart Attack Damage Far Worse
Scientists have discovered that certain oral bacteria can block the heartโs natural repair mechanisms after a heart attack, leading to more severe and potentially deadly outcomes.
A research team at Tokyo Medical and Dental University found that Porphyromonas gingivalisโa major bacterium responsible for gum diseaseโworsens heart damage by disrupting the recovery process of cardiac cells.
The culprit is gingipain, a toxin released by P. gingivalis. This toxin prevents the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes in heart muscle cells, effectively shutting down autophagyโthe process cells use to clear away damaged components. Without this cleanup, damaged cardiac cells accumulate, causing greater muscle dysfunction, higher rates of cell death, and an increased risk of cardiac rupture.
In experiments, mice infected with normal P. gingivalis experienced significantly worse post-heart attack injury compared to those infected with a genetically engineered strain lacking gingipain.
The findings, published in the International Journal of Oral Science, highlight a critical link between oral health and heart recovery. Untreated gum infections could seriously impair the heartโs ability to heal after a myocardial infarction. Researchers stress that regular brushing, flossing, and professional treatment for periodontal disease may be an underappreciated yet powerful way to protect the heart and improve recovery after cardiac events.
Source: โPorphyromonas gingivalis, a periodontal pathogen, impairs post-infarcted myocardium by inhibiting autophagosomeโlysosome fusion,โ International Journal of Oral Science, 18 September 2023.