title: Does oral hygiene trigger carotid artery intima-media thickness?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate whether poor oral hygiene is associated with the intima-media thickness of the carotid arteries, which is one of the predictors of future progression of subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected 108 patients during periodontal examinations according to their oral hygiene. The patients had no history of atherosclerotic disease. The results of carotid artery B-mode ultrasonography examinations were analyzed at baseline and after a mean of 7.8 months. Patients were scored on the DMFT index for the number of decayed (D), missing (M), and filled (F) teeth (T). We also used the Silness-Loe plaque index (SLI) to evaluate oral hygiene and dental plaque. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to DMFT and SLI criteria. Group I had a DMFT index of 0 to 3 and an SLI score of 0 or 1; group II had a DMFT index of 4 to 28 and an SLI score of 2 or 3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dental status and oral hygiene were significantly associated with carotid artery intima-media thickness. Patients with increasing DMFT and SLI indices were correlated with intima-media thickness of the carotid artery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic poor oral hygiene and tooth loss are related to subclinical atherosclerotic changes in the carotid arteries and might be indicative of future progression of atherosclerosis.
authors: Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Sifa University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors: Ihsan Sami
authors: IS
authors: Uyar
authors: Veysel
authors: V
authors: Sahin
authors: Mehmet Besir
authors: MB
authors: Akpinar
authors: Feyzi
authors: F
authors: Abacilar
authors: Faik Fevzi
authors: FF
authors: Okur
authors: Ugur
authors: U
authors: Ozdemir
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Ates
authors: Elif Filiz
authors: EF
authors: Yasa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015984:Causality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*