Scientists have discovered that the bacteria causing gum disease can drive calcium buildup and narrowing of the heart’s aortic valve, leading to calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS). Presented today at the American Heart Association’s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Scientific Sessions 2026, thesepreliminary findingssuggest that treating gum disease and the inflammation caused by bacteria could prevent this common heart condition.
“This study adds to the growing evidence that oral health and heart health are closely connected,” said Eduardo Sanchez, MD, chief medical officer for prevention for the American Heart Association. “For many people, regular visits to the dentist are their only connection to the healthcare system. That makes dental professionals important partners in spotting health conditions, including periodontal disease early—which can lead to quicker healthcare referrals and results, better health and lives saved.”
Calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) is the most prevalent valvular heart disease worldwide. Although it may not show symptoms early on, as the aortic valve thickens and restricts blood flow, patients will increasingly experience fatigue, chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, heart failure and in some cases premature death. Currently, the only treatment option for CAVS patients is valve replacement surgery.
“There are currently no medications proven to prevent or slow the progression of CAVS,” said Chenyang Li, MD, a PhD candidate at Fuwai Hospital’s National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and co-lead author of the study. “We hope our findings demonstrating the link between periodontal disease and CAVS will stimulate further research into new preventive and therapeutic approaches for this condition.”
Li’s team profiled the bacterial communities present in aortic valves from patients undergoing valve replacement surgery, comparing those with severe CAVS to patients with other valvular diseases. Results showed a clear link between CAVS and the presence ofPorphyromonas gingivalisbacteria, which have previously been linked with systemic inflammation and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
“We were surprised by how muchP. gingivaliswas present in the calcified aortic valves,” said Li. “Although it was not one of the most abundant bacteria overall, it showed one of the largest differences between valves with CAVS and valves without CAVS. This unexpected finding led us to investigate its potential role in the development of CAVS.”
In mice, repeated exposure toP. gingivalisled to their accumulation in aortic valves, increasing calcification and other symptoms of CAVS. A preventive antibiotic treatment significantly reduced these effects.
Further studies in human valve cells revealed that the bacteria drive inflammation by activating IL-1β signaling pathways. Knocking out expression of the IL-1β protein in mice reduced calcification and CAVS symptoms even in the presence ofP. gingivalis, pointing to a potential therapeutic target for CAVS
“The key message is simple: take good care of your oral health,” Li said. ”Good oral hygiene and treatment of periodontal disease are important for overall health and may also have benefits for cardiovascular health. While it is still too early to recommend specific treatments for preventing CAVS, our findings suggest that periodontal health could be an important piece of the puzzle.”
News & FeaturesAortic stenosisBacterial diseasesHeart valve diseases
