Focus on Primary Care

A definite relationship is emerging between periodontal infections and systemic conditions. The objective of this review is to address this relationship as it pertains to cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, because recent reports link the presence of periodontal disease to preterm delivery, the possible relationship between the development and progression of periodontal disease and certain hormonal states in women such as puberty, oral contraceptive use, menopause, and pregnancy will also be discussed. Although the current literature suggests a strong association between periodontal disease and a number of the discussed systemic conditions, causality can only be established with prospective studies. Intervention studies are needed to address how treatment effects the incidence and/or severity of periodontal disease-related systemic illness. Target Audience: Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians Learning Objectives: After completion of this article, the reader will be able to describe what is periodontal disease and the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis, to list the conditions associated with periodontal disease, and to outline the potential risk factors for periodontal disease.