Does gum disease raise risk of retinal detachment?
A recent study may have identified a link between the oral bacteria-induced inflammatory condition and serious ocular disease.
In the study, published in the Journal of Periodontology, investigators used data from the 2000 to 2020 Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to explore the relationship between periodontitis and the risk of exudative retinal detachment among more than 300,000 controls and participants with periodontitis who either received treatment or had untreated disease.
According to a news article from Dr. Bicuspid reporting on the findings, the investigators noted that exudative retinal detachment is characterized by a buildup of fluid in the subretinal space, which can result in vision loss or blindness.
They found that the participants with periodontitis were about four times as likely to experience exudative retinal detachment compared with controls. The association remained after adjustment for systemic and ocular comorbidities and regardless of receipt of periodontitis treatment. The investigators hypothesized that the chronic inflammation caused by periodontitis may have deleterious effects on the eyes.
The findings underscored the critical need to maintain good oral health to prevent downstream damage to eye health.
Read more: Dr. Bicuspid
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