THE MOUTH HEART CONNECTION Cardiologist agree that the bacteria found in gum disease is also found in blood vessels that are going through atherosclerosis. Inflammation is another common denominator for both gum and heart diseases. When people have moderate to severe gum disease, their levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein that rises during whole-body inflammation, increase. CRP levels are also used to assess a person's risk of a heart attack.