Is History of Cardiovascular Disease Associated with Increased Caries Experience among Taiwanese Adults?

This study examined the association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) history and their dental caries experience status.

Conducted from January 2021 to June 2023, this cross-sectional cohort study involved 7,138 participants who underwent oral examinations. Data on demographic background, oral health-related behaviors, and smoking status were collected using a structured questionnaire. Dental caries was diagnosed at the cavitation level according to the World Health Organization criteria and calculated into caries experience indices including decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT), decayed teeth, missing teeth and filled teeth. Information on CVD history was obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, including acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and coronary artery disease. Multivariate linear regression models were used to assess the association between CVD history and its dental caries experience status.

Of the participants, 158 (2.2%) had a prior diagnosis of CVD. Participants with CVD history had a significantly higher mean DMFT index (21.21 ± 8.37) than did those without CVD history (13.4 ± 7.82; p < 0.0001). After adjusting for confounding factors, participants with CVD history had a mean DMFT index that was 2.11 higher (95% CI = 0.99, 3.24, p < 0.01) and 2.21 more missing teeth (95% CI = 1.42, 3.00, p < 0.0001) than did those without CVD history. Subgroup analyses indicated that participants aged ≥65 years were predominantly affected.

Older participants with CVD history were associated with an increased number of missing teeth. The present study design could not conclude a positive association between CVD history and its DMFT status, partly due to the lack of data on the reason for missing teeth.