Inflammation in the gums as suggested in today's other news article, leads to injuries of the arteries resulting in ischemic stroke diseases. Periodontists who have long been cautioning that inflammation of the gums is a sign of periodontal diseases are now puzzled by a recent research study which indicates that chronic gum inflammation may in fact help some people fight infection.
The study which involved people under 35 with advanced gum disease had sharply lower levels of an enzyme called platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH), which breaks down PAF and limits gum inflammation. This PAF or platelet-activating factor is a bio-fat which accumulates in the gums of people with chronic gum disease.The significance of the study is in the discovery of the fact that PAF helps in fighting gum disease and battling infections that are linked to the presence of periodontal bacteria in the blood stream, such as heart disease. This, researchers say, is because PAF promotes the production of high levels of antibodies.
Researchers say that in the aftermath of this puzzling discovery, the elimination of inflammation has to be reconsidered in the light of PAF's protection.
