Periodontal disease and death from pneumonia in hemodialysis patients

Patients who undergo hemodialysis tend to have a relatively low life expectancy, and 50% of these patients die of pneumonia. This is a significantly higher rate than among the general population. Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by bacteria in the dental plaque and is also seen more often among hemodialysis patients than in the general population. The aspiration of colonized pathogens related to periodontal disease is considered a significant risk factor for pneumonia, although the association between periodontal disease and death from pneumonia among hemodialysis patients has not been established.
Source: Dental Abstracts - Category: Dentistry Tags: Inquiry Source Type: research