On April 18, 2012 the American Heart Association (AHA) presented a position paper which left the impression that treating disease in our mouth will not reduce a person's risk of heart attack, stroke, and vascular plaque buildup.

I feel their presentation of the data is confusing and offer an explanation of why the presence of certain high risk oral bacteria may be an often unrecognized contributor to vascular disease.  Optimally attending to our oral health may significantly reduce the risk of events and progression of existing disease, especially in those who have other cardiovascular risk factors.

For details, see my full position statement.

See information on optimal home oral care

Concern arose when case reports linked unusual femur fractures to people who have been taking one of these osteoporosis medications for more than 5 years. The story questions their long-term safety.