Nearly 75 percent of Americans suffer from some form of periodontal disease, the major cause of adult tooth loss. In addition, cardiovascular disease, the leading killer of men and women in the United States, is a major public health issue contributing to 2,400 deaths each day. And while these two conditions are seemingly unrelated, research suggests that managing one disease may reduce the risk for the other.
To further understand the connection between periodontal disease and other disease states, such as cardiovascular disease, the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), the organization for the health professionals who treat periodontal diseases, will host its 95th Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts from September 12th - 15th at the new Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Over 5,000 dental professionals and participating vendors are expected to attend.
This year's Opening Ceremony, to be held on Saturday, September 12th, will feature renowned Boston cardiologist Paul M. Ridker, MD, as the evening's keynote speaker. Dr. Ridker is the Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and is a leading researcher on inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Ridker will speak to the role inflammation plays in linking cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease, and will discuss the possible implications for the treatment of periodontitis and cardiovascular disease in light of the recent clinical recommendations released in June 2009. These recommendations were developed by prominent cardiologists and periodontists and simultaneously published in a consensus paper in The American Journal of Cardiology and the Journal of Periodontology.
The four-day meeting will also include a variety of educational and scientific sessions in seven distinct program tracks, covering topics such as dental implants, periodontal-systemic relationships, oral tissue regeneration and engineering, and other emerging technologies in periodontal therapy.
"This is a very exciting time in periodontology," says AAP President David Cochran, DDS, Ph.D. "We are understanding more and more about the relationship between periodontal disease and other chronic diseases of aging, such as cardiovascular disease, and the role of inflammation in that connection. This meeting will be a pivotal event in advancing our understanding about this relationship. It will also reinforce the importance of maintaining healthy teeth and gums to contribute to overall wellness."