title: A cross-sectional study of the associations between periodontitis and carotid arterial calcifications in an elderly population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate if the presence of periodontitis is associated with carotid arterial calcifications diagnosed on panoramic radiographs in an elderly population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study individuals were randomly selected from the Swedish civil registration database representing the aging population (60-96 years) in Karlskrona, Sweden. Bleeding on probing (BOP) and the deepest probing measurement at each tooth were registered. The proportions of teeth with a probing depth ≥ 5 mm and the proportion of teeth with bleeding on probing were calculated. Analog panoramic radiographs were taken and the proportion of sites with a distance ≥ 5 mm between the alveolar bone level and the cement-enamel junction (CEJ) were assessed. A diagnosis of periodontitis was declared if a distance between the alveolar bone level and the CEJ ≥ 5 mm could be identified from the panoramic radiographs at > 10% of sites, probing depth of ≥ 5 mm at one tooth or more and with BOP at > 20% of teeth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Readable radiographs were obtained from 499 individuals. Carotid calcification was identified in 39.1%. Individuals were diagnosed with periodontitis in 18.4%. Data analysis demonstrated that individuals with periodontitis had a higher prevalence of carotid calcifications (Pearson χ(2) = 4.05 p < 0.05) and with a likelihood of 1.5 (95% CI = 1.0, 2.3, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data analysis demonstrated a significant association between periodontitis and carotid calcification.
authors.affiliation: a 1 University of Kristianstad , Kristianstad, Sweden.
authors.forename: Viveca Wallin
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.affiliation: a 1 University of Kristianstad , Kristianstad, Sweden.|b 2 Department of Periodontics, University of Washington , Seattle, WA, USA.|c 3 Department of Oral Medicine, University of Washington , Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: G Rutger
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.affiliation: d 4 Institute of Technology , Karlskrona, Sweden.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berglund
authors.affiliation: a 1 University of Kristianstad , Kristianstad, Sweden.|d 4 Institute of Technology , Karlskrona, Sweden.|e 5 Dublin Dental Hospital Trinity College , Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Renvert
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000453:epidemiology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D019237:Tooth Cervix / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
keywords: Carotid arterial calcifications; panoramic radiographs; periodontitis