Atherosclerosis

Resolvin E1 may help treat gum disease and atherosclerosis

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Researchers have shown that Resolvin E1 which is a molecule naturally produced in the body from an omega 3 fish oil, prevents and treats gum disease and decreases the likelihood for advanced arterial atherosclerotic plaques to rupture and form a thrombus or blood clot. Inflammation occurs with atherosclerosis and may play a role in the development of heart attacks and stroke. There is evidence from research groups that chronic inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, colitis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney and pulmonary diseases, and cancer can benefit from the use of the pro-resolving lipid mediators such as resolvins and lipoxins. Researchers from Boston University and The Forsyth Institute used two groups of an experimental model that possessed highly inflamed advanced atherosclerosis. The first group was treated with a solution applied on gum tissues that contained an inflammation-lowering lipid … Read more

Poor Dental Health Linked to Atherosclerosis

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Previous research has shown that poor dental health and periodontitis have been linked to atherosclerosis, which is a condition where fatty material collects along artery walls. This causes the arteries to become narrower and can lead to cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks, angina (chest pain), and stroke. Researchers in Sweden recently tested the hypotheses that bacteria from the mouth and/or the gut could end up in the atherosclerotic plaque and contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. The researchers found the number of bacteria in the plaque correlated with the number of white blood cells. This meant that this was a cause of inflammation. The researchers used sequencing methods to determine the composition of the bacteria in the mouth, gut and arterial plaque of 15 patients in both a control and a study group. They observed that bacteria were … Read more