The Influence of Periodontal Disease on Oral Health Quality of Life in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: A Cross-Sectional Observational Single-Center Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of global death with a rising prevalence and a heavy economic burden. Periodontal disease has been associated with cardiovascular diseases—including incident coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease and ischemic stroke. The study evaluates the quality of life of patients with cardiovascular and periodontal disease from the point of view of oral health by using the short version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Materials and Methods: This study included a total of 221 patients (61.86 ± 15.03 years old) selected from the Emergency Hospital of Sibiu, Romania. The participants self-completed the OHIP-14 questionnaire and they benefited from an oral health examination conducted to assess the presence and the severity of periodontal disease. Results: Out of the 147 patients with cardiovascular disease, 77.5% had periodontal disease (32.6% stage I, 29.2% stage II, and 15.6% stage III and IV). The presence of periodontal disease was associated with a lower oral-health-related quality of life (p < 0.001, ANOVA) and with a higher OHIP-14 score in patients with cardiovascular disease (18.67 ± 8.17, p < 0.001 ANOVA). No significant difference was observed concerning patient sex and background; however, age, body mass index and the lack of an appropriate oral hygiene routine had a strong association with the individual quality of life. The general OHIP-14 score was higher in patients with periodontal disease and associated cardiovascular disease, the presence of both cardiovascular and periodontal disease being associated with a lower quality of life. Conclusions: By increasing the patients’ awareness to oral healthcare measures, better outcomes and improved oral-health-related quality of life could be observed.

Periodontal disease is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease independent of sex: A meta-analysis

“…CVD has always been shown to have a greater possibility of secondary oral problems. As Lazureanu et al showed in their research on the prevalence of periodontal disease in patients with CVD (44), 77.5% of the 147 patients with CVD developed periodontal disease, implying a high incidence of periodontal disease among patients with CVD. However, few related studies have explored the incidence of CVD in patients with periodontal disease.…”

Oral Health Clearance Outcomes for Cardiovascular Surgery

“… 30 Another study found that in 147 patients diagnosed with CVD, 77.5% had periodontal disease and the presence of periodontal disease was also associated with a lower oral health-related quality of life. 31 A nationwide population-based cohort study reported that after a median follow-up of 9.5 years, the risk of cardiovascular events was higher when a patient had periodontal disease, a higher number of dental caries, or more tooth loss. 32 In the same study, regular dental visits, defined as once a year or more for professional cleaning, reduced cardiovascular risk by 14%.…”

Importance of Metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8) in the Diagnosis of Periodontitis

“…Right next to smoking, improper or insufficient oral hygiene is the most important and modifiable risk factor for periodontitis [ 38 , 43 ]. Insufficient oral hygiene, understood as improper or irregular tooth brushing, failure to clean interdental spaces, and avoidance of follow-up dental visits, leads to plaque accumulation [ 44 , 45 ].…”