November 26, 2013 -- INTELIHEALTH -- People with gum disease may be more likely to have asthma, a Brazilian study finds.

The study compared people with asthma to people without it. It included 220 adults. All of them were examined for signs of gum disease. People with gum disease were five times as likely to have asthma as people who had healthy gums.

The researchers note that inflammation of the gums, as seen in gum disease, could affect asthma, which involves lung inflammation. However, this study does not show that asthma causes gum disease, or that gum disease leads to asthma.

Other studies have found that people taking inhaled asthma medicines may be at greater risk for periodontal disease. The studies suggest that the inhaled medicines affect the mouth.

The Brazilian study appears in the November 14 issue of the Journal of Periodontology.

Source: InteliHealth News Service