Bad teeth are a major factor in the development of heart disease, according to a major European study published today.
Poor dental health may indicate patients at high risk of heart disease – partly because it may reflect poor diet, researchers said.
Other research has suggested that infection of the gums may also trigger heart disease by causing wider-ranging inflammation.
The research, in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, involved a study of more than 15,000 patients in 39 countries.
Some 41% of the patients had less than 15 teeth remaining and 16% had no teeth.
Researchers found that the fewer the teeth patients had, the higher their levels of blood sugar and of unhealthy cholesterol. They also tended to have higher blood pressure and larger waists than others.
The biggest problems were found in Eastern Europe.
Researcher Dr Ola Vedin, from the University of Uppsala, Sweden, said: "It is still a matter of debate whether periodontal disease is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease. Some studies point to a moderate association while others are contradictory.
"Our findings show an association between self-reported periodontal disease and several cardiovascular risk factors and as such lend support to a possible association between the conditions."
Periodontal disease in patients with chronic coronary heart disease: Prevalence and association with cardiovascular risk factors. Eur J Prevent Cardiol 9 April 2014; DOI: 10.1177/2047487314530660
Leave a Reply