Oral health could be associated with macular degeneration

Investigators may have uncovered a link between periodontitis and age-related macular degeneration.

In a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine, the investigators used 11 scientific literature databases to identify seven studies involving more than 149,000 patients with periodontitis and either prevalent or incident age-related macular degeneration.

The investigators found that systemic low-grade inflammation present in periodontitis could be related to the type of inflammation found in patients with age-related macular degeneration — representing a potential association between the diseases.

The investigators emphasized that because periodontitis can be managed and prevented, their findings indicated a critical need for more personalized strategies to mitigate the risk of age-related macular degeneration. They recommended that oral health care should be prioritized among patients at risk of developing the eye disease.

Read more: Journal of Personalized Medicine

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