[ relationship between periodontal diseases and ischemic heart problems]

ABSTRACT

Recent studies have suggested that there is a relationship between periodontal diseases and Ischemic heart conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of any association between periodontitis and ischemic heart disease in a sample of Iranian population. The participants of this analytical study were 120 subjects with mean age of 52 +/- 9.6 years old. The cases [n=69] were patients with proven Ischemic heart disease who were hospitalized in Cardiology Units of the Mostafa Khomeini hospital in Tehran. The control subjects [n=60] were selected from other hospital wards. Subjects were matched for known risk factors of coronary heart disease including, family history of ischemic heart disease, smoking, triglyceride and cholesterol levels, fasting blood sugar, body mass index, as well as hypertension, age and gender. All cases and controls went through clinical periodontal examination in order to measure and record the clinical attachment level, plaque index and bleeding index at six sites of the dentition [Ramfjord teeth]. The numbers of missing teeth were recorded as well. The chi-square [X2] test was used to check the group similarities with regards to age, sex, blood pressure and history of familial heart disease variables. Also, t-test was used to compare the mean BMI as well as AL, PI, BPI, TL between the two groups. The clinical attachment level, bleeding index and plaque index were significantly higher in case of ischemic heart disease patients than controls. When considering the number of missing teeth, there was no significant difference between the two groups under investigation. Periodontal disease can be a risk factor for Ischemic heart diseases in Iranian population