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Loss of Alveolar Bone Due to Periodontal Disease Exhibits a Threshold on the Association With Coronary Heart Disease
Author(s) -
Alman Amy C.,
Johnson Lonnie R.,
Calverley David C.,
Grunwald Gary K.,
Lezotte Dennis C.,
Harwood Jeri E.F.,
Hokanson John E.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.036
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1943-3670
pISSN - 0022-3492
DOI - 10.1902/jop.2011.100647
Subject(s) - medicine , dental alveolus , tooth loss , confounding , periodontal disease , chest radiograph , dentistry , cohort , cohort study , radiography , periodontal examination , cardiology , surgery , oral health
Background: A number of epidemiologic studies were published that looked at the association between coronary heart disease (CHD) and periodontal disease. However, debate exists about whether this association is a true relationship or simply an example of an uncontrolled confounder. This retrospective cohort study examines the relationship between periodontal disease and CHD. Methods: Digital panoramic radiographs were used to assess alveolar bone loss (ABL) using a Schei ruler. Participants consisted of Veterans Administration (VA) patients who were eligible for dental benefits and had a digital panoramic radiograph taken at the VA Medical Center, Denver, Colorado. Information on CHD and other important clinical variables were obtained from electronic medical records. Results: The examination of the relationship between ABL and CHD revealed a significant non‐linear relationship with a threshold at ≈20% bone loss with a doubling of the probability ratios of CHD compared to those at 7.5% bone loss. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a non‐linear relationship between ABL and CHD. A significant positive association between ABL and CHD was found at even low levels of bone loss between 10% and 20%.