Scientists in Germany have discovered a gene that links periodontitis and increased risk of coronorary heart disease (CHD) and have urged dentists to make sure they diagnose and treat cases of periodontitis as early as possible to minimise the risk of heart disease.

Dr Arne Schaefer, of the Institute for Clinical Molecular Biology at the University of Kiel, and colleagues found a gene on chromosome 9 whose variant is shared between gum and heart disease. A genetic locus on chromosome 9p21.3 was already known to be associated with myocardial infarction (heart attack), so they decided to study it in two groups of patients: 151 patients with aggressive early stage periodontitis, and 1,097 patients with CHD who had already had a heart attack.

Dr Schaefer said that the genetic variation associated with the clinical pictures of both diseases was identical and the researchers confirmed the link by studying two other groups: one of 1,100 CHD patients and another of 180 periodontitis patients.

'We found that the genetic risk variant is located in a genetic region that codes for an antisense DNA called ANRIL', said Dr Schaefer. 'Because of its association with CHD, we think that periodontitis should be taken very seriously by dentists and diagnosed and treated as early as possible', he cautioned.

Men are more likely to suffer from CHD and periodontitis and the two diseases share similar risk factors such as smoking, diabetes and obesity. An imbalanced immune reaction and chronic inflammation are also features of both diseases, and previous studies have suggested that the presence of specific bacteria in periodontal pockets might explain the relationship between periodontal disease and acute coronary syndrome.

According to Dr Shaefer, the study confirms the genetic link hinted at by these factors. He commented, 'We hope that our findings will make it easier to diagnose the disease at an early stage, and that in future a greater insight into the specific pathophysiology might open the way to effective treatment before the disease can take hold.'

The findings were presented to the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics in Vienna in May.