Enfermedad periodontal y disfunción eréctil

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory destructive disease that affects the tissue supporting the teeth, and is one of the most prevalent chronic infections in humans. It can induce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, intervening in the regulation of inflammatory responses affecting the IL-6 and C-reactive protein, and finally activates inflammatory cells and endothelial cells. This can lead to endothelial dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction is defined as the persistent inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse and can be an early manifestation of coronary artery and peripheral vascular disease, and should therefore be considered also as a potential warning sign for cardiovascular disease. The link between periodontal disease and erectile dysfunction is still under investigation and the information is very limited. There are risk factors (smoking, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease) shared by erectile dysfunction and chronic periodontitis that contribute to endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this review is to provide plausibility between periodontal disease and erectile dysfunction and confounding variables between this relationship through a literature review.