LONDON, Mar. 2 (Xinhua) -- British scientists have conducted the first clinical trial to demonstrate that an intensive treatment for periodontitis (gum disease) directly improves the health of blood vessels.

    The first clinical trial, conducted by scientists at University College London (UCL), demonstrated that relief of inflammation in the mouth, through intensive treatment of periodontitis, a common inflammatory disease of the gums supporting the teeth in the mouth,results in improved function of the arteries, science news website of AlphaGalileo reported on Friday.

    This is the first time that a direct link has been made between treatment for gum disease and improved circulatory function, the researchers said.

    In the study, middle-aged subjects with severe periodontitis, but no evidence of cardiovascular disease, were randomly allocated to dental treatments of two levels of intensity and after six months, those who received the more intensive periodontitis treatment, had a marked improvement in their gum disease and also demonstrated a significant restoration of blood vessel function, project leader Francesco D'Aiuto said.

    The intensive treatment involved removal of plaque through scaling and root planning techniques, as well as extraction of teeth that could not be saved, which initially resulted in some inflammation and dysfunction of the blood vessels and arteries, but that was short-lived and six months later the treatment led to an improvement in both oral health and arterial function.

    The researchers who reported their finding in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine said the finding has potential implications for public health, but further studies are now required to determine whether the treatment of severe periodontitis could directly contribute to the prevention of disease of the arteries (atherosclerosis), stroke and heart attacks.

    The gum disease involves a bacterial infection that invades the tissue around the teeth, and the bacteria possibly disturb endothelial function directly, since some bacteria can enter the bloodstream, alternatively triggering a low grade inflammatory response throughout the body that has a detrimental effect on the vascular wall.