The Journal of the American Heart Association 2013:2:3000254 recently published a study that demonstrated periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and atherosclerosis are related.  Improvements in periodontal treatment (clinical and microbiological) were related to a decreased rate of carotid artery CCA-IMT progression at 3-year follow-up.

This longitudinal study is a result of the Oral Infection and Vascular Disease Epidemiology Study (INVEST) that was specifically designed to evaluate whether periodontal infections predispose patient to CVD or atherosclerosis.  They found a decrease in the number of bacteria was associated with a decrease in the periodontal status, which was associated with a decrease in CCA-IMT.  They found an increase in the number of bacteria was associated with an increased periodontal status, which was also associated with an increase in CCA-IMT.

This is extremely important for patients using the Perio Protect Method (PPM), which was shown to decrease both bacteria and periodontal disease in the J Clin Dent 2011 and 2012.  If you treat the periodontal disease you decrease your risk of CVD.