Correlation between oral hygiene and Helicobacter pylori infection

As introduced by different studies, dental plaque is known as a reservoir of Helicobacter Pylori (HP) and a potential source for gastric re-infection. Also, it has been demonstrated that individuals with gastric HP infection manifest a greater plaque index and a higher incidence rate for gingivitis. The goal of the present research was survey of severity and prevalence of periodontal diseases associated with gastric HP infection among patients having referred to the endoscopy wards of Imam Khomeini and Milad hospitals. In this research, 122 patients with gastric HP infection were investigated for determining 4 indices: plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and pocket depth (PD), for all existing teeth, using RUT (rapid urease test). The results indicated that about 86.9% of patients had developed gingivitis of various degrees and 100% of them were afflicted with periodontitis of different degrees, and about 64.8% of patients showed a weak PI, and 61.5% had a low level of education. This low-level education seen in majority of the studied subjects, addresses a high degree of importance and influence of the oral hygiene in gastric HP infections. Hence, gastroentrologists are required to refer patients to dentists in line of preserving oral and dental health.