The Association Between Dental Status and Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction Among Poles: Case-control Study

Results of scientific research on the effects of periodontitis on the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) are ambiguous.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the severity and extent of periodontitis with acute MI in Poles.

This case-control study included 134 cases hospitalized with acute MI under the age of 70 years and 155 controls drawn from the general population with no MI history. Sociodemographic, cardiologic and periodontal variables were assessed. Three periodontal indicators were evaluated: (1) the severity of periodontitis classified in accordance with Page and Eke definition, (2) the extent of periodontitis determined on the basis of the percentage of sites with CAL ≥ 3 mm (Arbes Index) and (3) tooth loss (> 10 teeth). In a logistic regression model, the association of periodontal parameters with MI occurrence was evaluated after adjusting for well-known cardiovascular risk factors.

The extent of periodontitis was significantly associated with the risk of acute MI even after adjusting for age, sex, tobacco smoking, hypertension, diabetes, BMI, education and income (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1 to 5.2; p = 0.0203). However, the severity of periodontitis was associated with MI after adjusting for age and sex (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.2-3.5; p = 0.0109), but not after adjusting for the other above-mentioned risk factors. The association between the number of lost teeth and acute MI was significant after adjusting for age, sex, tobacco smoking, arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.2-5.9; p = 0.0151).

This study proves the positive association between periodontitis and acute MI in Poles. This association seems to be stronger with regard to the extent rather than to the severity of periodontitis.