Gum disease bacteria linked to heart valve disease

Researchers at Fuwai Hospital in Beijing presented preliminary findings at the American Heart Association's Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Scientific Sessions 2026, suggesting that Porphyromonas gingivalis, a bacterium linked to severe gum disease, may contribute to calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) by triggering inflammation and calcium buildup in the heart's aortic valve. The study found higher levels of P. gingivalis in calcified human aortic valves compared to non-calcified ones, and experiments in mice and human valve cells showed that the bacterium activates IL-1β signaling, leading to valve calcification. Blocking IL-1β reduced calcification in mice. The findings are preliminary and not yet peer-reviewed, but they suggest a potential new pathway for preventing or treating CAVD, which currently has no approved drug therapy. The researchers have begun a clinical study to confirm the link in humans.