Oral Radiography Reveals Chronic Coronary Artery Disease

Oral infections are quite common but they are often dormant and detected only through radiography. Radiographs of the whole jaw conducted in conjunction with dental care can disclose a cardiovascular disease risk.

Calcification of the carotid artery is a risk factor for advanced arteriosclerosis, that may be associated with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) and can eventually even lead to death. Coronary artery calcification was also related to dental conditions.

A recent research has revealed that carotid artery calcification can be detected by panoramic radiography.

‘Oral infections are often latent and found only through radiography. Radiographs directed in concurrence with dental care can reveal a cardiovascular disease risk. The patients must be introduced to further examinations and treatments if carotid artery calcification is detected.’

Currently, the researchers have included coronary angiography in a study where patients were followed-up for 10 years.

A study was carried out collaboratively by the University of Helsinki, the University of Oulu, the University of Eastern Finland and Karolinska Institutet. 508 middle-aged patients who had been introduced to coronary angiography due to cardiac symptoms in 2008-2018 were enrolled in the study.

The findings have been published in the International Endodontic Journal.

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"Carotid artery calcification was statistically directly linked with several stenosed arteries found in coronary angiography, as well as with chronic coronary artery disease," says Docent Pirkko Pussinen from the University of Helsinki.

In statistical analyses, the patients' age, gender, smoking habits, blood glucose levels, disturbances of lipid metabolism and blood pressure were taken into consideration. Carotid artery calcification was found in 102 patients, with 81 of the cases determined as moderate and 21 as severe.

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Calcification was not only related to chronic CAD but also with apical periodontitis, root canal therapies, alveolar bone loss, the severity of periodontal inflammation, a high level of gram-negative bacteria in dental plaque and antibodies in the saliva that bind with these bacteria.

The link between calcification and acute myocardial infarction was not statistically significant.

During the follow up period of a decade, a total of 105 patients died, with 53 deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases. 17.5% of the patients who were alive were diagnosed with Carotid artery calcification.

In the cases with severe carotid artery calcification that were detected during dental radiography, the risks of deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases were even higher.

Source-Medindia