Oral health and cardiovascular disease in Sweden

J Clin Periodontol. 2002 Mar;29(3):254-9. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-051x.2002.290312.x.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to assess the relation between dental health and cardiovascular disease in an adult Swedish population.

Material and method: A questionnaire was sent to 4811 randomly selected Swedes. It contained 52 questions about dental care habits, oral health, cardiovascular disease and their socio-economic situation. Odd ratios for all cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and the subgroup myocardial infarction, stroke and high blood pressure were calculated with a logistic regression model adjusted for age, gender, smoking, income, civil status and education. These ratios were calculated for subjects > or =41 years since few people suffer from CVD before this.

Results: The national questionnaire was answered by 2839 (59%) people between 20-84 years of age and, of them, 1577 were 41 years of age or more. We found a significant association between self-reported bleeding gums (odds ratio 1.60, p=0.0017), presence of dentures (odds ratio 1.57, p=0.0076) and known CVD, which has also been reported in international studies. However, no association between loose teeth, deep pockets and known CVD was detected.

Conclusion: The results indicate that oral health and, especially gingival inflammation is associated with CVD.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / complications*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Dentures / statistics & numerical data*
  • Educational Status
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Marital Status
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth, Edentulous / complications
  • Mouth, Edentulous / epidemiology
  • Myocardial Infarction / complications
  • Myocardial Infarction / epidemiology
  • Odds Ratio
  • Periodontal Diseases / complications*
  • Periodontal Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Periodontal Index
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / adverse effects
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Stroke / complications
  • Stroke / epidemiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Sweden / epidemiology