Periodontal disease and coronary heart disease

Abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by Dr Trevor Watts

Abstract

There was an association between the two conditions in subjects < 60 yrs old.

Main

Geismar K, Stoltze K et al. J Periodontol 2006; 77: 1547–1554

Periodontal inflammation and cardiovascular diseases have been shown to be associated in some studies, but there are numerous confounding factors. The present case-control study investigated the relationship in a Copenhagen population, comparing 110 individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) and 140 healthy controls from a heart study.

Univariate analysis showed the CHD group to have significantly higher levels of diabetes, smoking dose and periodontal disease, but lower levels of high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Multiple logistic regression identified diabetes and smoking as significantly associated with CHD, and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for the relationship of varying levels of alveolar bone to CHD suggested a relationship reaching significance with the highest level of bone loss (6.6; CIs 1.69 to 25.6) only for subjects < 60 yrs old. In the whole sample, and in those ≥60 years old, the fully adjusted ORs were not significant.