Ischemic stroke can lead to disruption in the oral ecology and an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, resulting in periodontal disease. Meanwhile, the aspiration and pulmonary infection resulted from dysphagia can increase the unfavorable prognosis. Some studies have found that there exist oral bacteria in the thrombus in myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke patients, showing that oral flora might be associated with thrombus and stroke-associated pneumonia. There are few high quality clinical studies or evidence-based guidelines. Priority should be given to high quality research that provides oral care standards, and incorporating oral care into future stroke pathways to improve the prognosis.
As a major disease that seriously endangers the health of Chinese residents, stroke has various triggering factors, among which infection is one of the initial factors. Previous studies have indicated a correlation of common oral infectious diseases such as periodontitis with the occurrence of stroke. However, there is a lack of effective integration of previous research on the induction of stroke by common oral infectious diseases. This article provides a comprehensive review of the relevant research on infectious diseases and stroke, with a particular focus on the progress related to periodontitis, gingivitis, dental caries, and pulpitis as triggers for stroke. It puts forward relevant recommendations for promoting oral health, so as to provide a theoretical basis for improving oral health literacy of Chinese residents and reducing the incidence of stroke and other major diseases.
