DWM Nontraumatic tooth loss may be predictive of CVD risk

Nontraumatic tooth loss may be predictive of CVD risk

October 7, 2019

Researchers observed an independent association between the number of teeth a patient has lost and their risk for developing CVD, according to findings presented at the American College of Cardiology Middle East Conference.

According to the study, systemic inflammation caused by oral disease was more strongly associated with the development of CVD in a population of adults who were missing teeth or edentulous (28%) than in those with all their teeth (7%; P = .001).

Researchers found that the risk for CVD increased with the total number of teeth lost:

• one to five missing teeth: OR = 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3;
• six or more missing teeth = 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5-1.8; and
• edentulous: OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 1.7-2.

“Our results support that there is a relationship between dental health and cardiovascular health,” Hamad Mohammed Qabha, MBBS, chief medical and surgical intern at Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, said in a press release. “If a person’s teeth fall out, there may be other underlying health concerns. Clinicians should be recommending that people in this age group receive adequate oral health care to prevent the diseases that lead to tooth loss in the first place and as potentially another way of reducing risk of future cardiovascular disease.”

Researchers conducted a secondary analysis of the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a telephone survey of noninstitutionalized adults living in the U.S. (n = 316,588; 32% aged 50 to 59 years; 52% women; 8% edentulous; 13% with CVD). The independent variable was tooth loss, whereas the dependent variables included presence of CVD, MI, angina and/or stroke. The OR for CVD development was adjusted for sex, age, race, education, income, BMI, health insurance coverage, exercise, smoking, heavy alcohol intake, dental visits and diabetes.

“There is an independent association between the number of nontraumatic tooth loss and CVD among U.S. residents aged 40 to 79 years,” the researchers wrote in an abstract. “Findings of this study lend to support the recommendation of adequate oral health care in this age group.” – by Scott Buzby

Reference:

Qabha HM, et al. Abstract P515. Presented at: ACC Middle East Conference; Oct. 3-5, 2019; Dubai, United Arab Emirates.