CRP and atherosclerosis: Schenkein et al. presented two major mechanisms linking periodontitis with atherosclerosis.128 The first is that some microorganisms can invade endothelial and phagocytic cells within the atheroma, causing pathogenic changes and progression of the lesion, and the second includes the release of inflammatory mediators such as C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, metalloproteinases from periodontal lesions to systemic circulation.