Exploring the Potential Consortium of Migraine and Periodontitis

Objectives. Various researches have shown periodontitis to share common pathophysiological pathways with systemic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and osteoporosis and recently neurological disorders. This article provides a narrative review summarizing the various linking mechanisms and the nature of association between two multifactorial diseases—periodontitis and migraine. Materials and Methods. A literature search was performed for articles related to periodontitis and migraine up till the year 2023 which yielded totally 14 articles. There were only three randomized controlled clinical trials; therefore, we were unable to conduct a systematic review and focused on a narrative review. The keywords searched were “migraine”, “periodontitis” and “biomarkers” in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Embase databases. Any article related to the association of periodontitis and migraine and the dental management of subjects with headache disorders were included and studies with migraine and other dental diseases were excluded. Results. It is found that the occurrence of periodontitis and migraine are associated with each other. There is reasonable evidence to believe that periodontitis and migraine are linked by direct and indirect mechanisms which can eventually lead to chronic inflammatory conditions like periodontitis worsening neurovascular conditions such as migraine. However, upon detailed analysis it was found that the strength of association is weak owing to the presences of various common confounding and risk factors. Conclusions. The association between periodontitis and migraine cannot be denied, however, not all the criteria are fulfilled while examining the nature of association and future long-term studies are required to prove the same. Clinical Relevance. Various studies have reported poor periodontal health in patients with migraine. The risk of exacerbation of migraine also increases in subject undergoing dental therapy if the triggering factors are manipulated. Hence, knowing the precise pathophysiologic mechanisms linking both the diseases would be favorable in planning treatment protocols for subjects with migraine.