Recent research shows that invasive dental treatment such as extractions carries a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of stroke and heart attack over the short term.

In a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers examined data from the claims database of a US Medicaid programme to investigate whether impairment to blood flow resulting from invasive dental treatment created a higher risk for cardiovascular events.

Averaged across the different age groups, the records suggested that, in the month following invasive dental treatment, the risk of a heart attack or stroke is increased by 50%. However, in the weeks following this, the risk then returned to normal, resulting in an increased overall risk of less than 4% per year.

The research was undertaken by researchers from the UCL Eastman Dental Institute (UCL EDI), UCL Epidemiology and Public Health Department and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

'This is the first study that links those dental procedures associated with a relevant host inflammatory response with short term risk of vascular events,' said Dr Francesco D'Aiuto, a HEFCE Clinical Senior Lecturer at UCL EDI.

The researchers are keen to stress that any risk increase is likely to be outweighed by the long-term benefits of dental treatment.

The abstract for the published article can be found at: http://www.annals.org/content/153/8/499.abstract