MedWire News: People with gum disease may face an increased risk of stomach ulcers because they are more likely to harbour the ulcer-causing bacterium Helicobacter pylori than those with good oral health, research suggests.

Writing in the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, Dr M Al Asqah and team from King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, explain: “Helicobacter pylori is considered to be a pathogen responsible for gastritis and peptic ulcers, and a risk factor for gastric cancer.”

They add that “a periodontal pocket in the teeth of individuals with chronic periodontitis [gum disease] may function as a reservoir for Helicobacter pylori”, therefore increasing the risk of associated conditions.

To investigate further, the team studied 101 patients with indigestion, around half of whom had gum disease.

All the patients provided dental plaque samples for analysis and underwent gastrointestinal examinations and tests for the presence of Helicobacter pylori.

Results of these test revealed that, overall, 65% of patients had evidence of Helicobacter pylori in their dental plaque and around 50% showed evidence of infection with the bacterium in their stomachs.

However, significantly more patients with gum disease (79%) had Helicobacter pylori in their dental plaque than those without the condition (43%). Furthermore, Helicobacter pylori was significantly more common in the stomachs of patients with gum disease than in those of patients without the condition.

The researchers also found that 78% of patients with gum disease tested positive for the coexistence of Helicobacter pylori in both dental plaque and the stomach, compared with just 30% of the other patients.

Dr Al Asqah and team conclude: “Patients with poor oral hygiene have a higher prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in dental plaque and in the stomach.

“This finding suggests that the oral cavity may be a reservoir for Helicobacter pylori, and potentially a source of transmission or reinfection.”

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