Stroke is the most common cause of disability and the number two cause of death worldwide. The TOAST classification denotes five subtypes of ischemic stroke, large-artery atherosclerosis, cardioembolism, small-vessel occlusion, stroke of other determined etiology and stroke of undetermined etiology.

Ischemic stroke is the main cause of disability worldwide affecting around 6 million deaths per year. A cascade of events following the ischemic insult induce energy failure, excitotoxicity and release of inflammatory mediators that provoke cell death and brain injury. In this process, astrocytes undergo a change on gene expression that leads to reactive astrocytes.

Poor oral health, particularly gum disease, has been linked to an increased risk of atherosclerosis and ischemic stroke. The theory behind this connection is that the bacteria involved in gum disease can enter the bloodstream and contribute to inflammation in the arteries, potentially promoting the development of atherosclerosis.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects more than 40% of the adult population aged over 30 years in the United States, indicating a high prevalence [1]. It impairs the integrity of the tooth-supporting tissue with clinical manifestations featured of gingiva bleeding, periodontal ligament degradation, and alveolar bone resorption. Periodontitis is a multifactorial disease, involving interactions of bacterial pathogens, host immune responses and environmental factors such as smoking [2].