Relationship between root caries and cardiac dysrhythmia.
BACKGROUND
Cardiac dysrhythmia are frequently found in the elderly population because of conduction system disease and ageing. Recent reports have suggested that dental caries and periodontal disease are predictors of coronary heart events. However, this hypothesis remains largely unproven.


OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the relationship between root caries and cardiac dysrhythmia in an elderly population.


METHODS
Among 600 subjects, 233 who were dentate at baseline underwent a baseline examination and subsequent annual investigations, including an oral examination and a 12-lead electrocardiogram, for a 4-year period. Analysis of covariance (ancova) was used to assess the number of sites with root caries between subjects with mean C-reactive protein (CRP) serum level of <3.0 mg/l and those with the mean CRP serum level ≥3.0 mg/l. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess relationship between root caries and cardiac dysrhythmia.


RESULTS
A high mean CRP serum level group had a significantly higher number of sites with root caries than a low CRP group (p < 0.001). Number of sites with root caries events was significantly associated with cardiac dysrhythmia among non-smokers (odds ratio, 5.84; p = 0.040). These results suggest that root caries is related to the incidence of dysrhythmias in non-smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that non-smoking elders with root caries lesions are at an elevated risk for dysrhythmias.
Kaneko
Masayuki
M
Division of Preventive Dentistry, Department of Oral Health Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Gakkocho-Dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata, Japan.
Yoshihara
Akihiro
A
Miyazaki
Hideo
H
D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017213:Root Caries / Q000150:complications*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking
D002097:C-Reactive Protein